SIX TIPS, OR HOW TO PLEASE YOUR SLATE – THE FILMS OF 9/1
Posted: August 30th, 2017, 5:01 am
Brace yourself, team, we’re in for a disaster.
With box office figures still in the doldrums, last week hit a new low with the Top 12 films of the week just about scraping $50m. But with only one new wide release out this week, and not a very good one I might add, it looks like we’re going to see that dip well below to $40m mark, making it one of the worst weekends of the last 25 years of US box office history. But fear not, folks, there’s probably something good to watch on TV instead.
September usually starts with a whimper, and this week’s selection is particularly poor. The bottom line is don’t bother, although there may be one gem lurking in the sea of faeces that is this week’s options.
The only wide release this week is Tulip Fever (Weinstein), and it’s barely so with only 600+ theatres screening it. Telling the tale of a couple trying to elope and live off the tulip industry in the 1800s, it stars Dan Dehaan, Alicia Vikander, Chris Waltz, and Judi Dench. And impressive cast, but not enough to shake the troubled past thanks to an unstable Weinstein Company, whose money issues are prominent in the trades. It feels this film had its moment and lost it, and this release strategy only confirms that. At best the film will open to $2m, and the lack of reviews in advance suggest this film is going to wilt. At best you’re going to see 1 T5, 2 PTA, a middling IMDB score, and $6-$7m cume. It’s just not worth your dollars.
Three limited releases come out this weekend, and if it was any other time, I’d say avoid them all. But one has some potential.
It certainly won’t be Unlocked (Lionsgate), an action-thriller starring Orlando Bloom and Noomi Rapace. Why?, because Lionsgate Premiere are releasing it, and essentially it’s just a token gesture to stick it in a few cinemas before focusing on online distribution. You’ll see it come out in a few dozen theatres and make a PTA of less than $1K, so forget it.
A Boy Called Po (Freestyle) may sound like someone got bored before finishing the title, but it’s actually inspired by true events as a widowed father attempts to take care of his autistic son. No major stars appear, and despite being acquired by Entertainment, Freestyle are putting this out and so far this year their releases have delivered poor results. So expect this to be the same. There’s a chance you might get a PTA point or two out of it, but it’s safe to say Po is not short for Potential.
Finally, the documentary Dolores (PBS) sounds like something that belongs on TV screens rather than the cinema. But this story of the labour activist Dolores Huerta who worked with Cesar Chavez to ensure farmers rights amongst many other achievements. With America now paying attention to protests and rights once more, this could be a timely release. It won’t break any records, but could have an opening PTA of $10K, enough to trounce the competition, and earn 5-7 PTA points in total. It’s worth a punt, particularly when it costs $2 in Ultimate.
My predictions for the weekend
1. The Hitman’s Bodyguard - $5.5m ($7m 4-day)
2. Annabelle Creation - $4m ($5m 4-day)
3. Leap! - $2.5m ($4m 4-day)
4. Wind River $2.3m ($3m 4-day)
5. Dunkirk- $2.2m ($3m 4-day)
PTA: Dolores, Beach Rats, Crown Heights, A Boy Called Po, Tulip Fever
When will this slump be beaten? Almost certainly next weekend with the release of the highly anticipated film about a scary clown – no, not coverage of Trump’s latest decisions, but the new adaptation of Stephen King’s It. Also coming out is rom-com Home Again, and limited releases The Unknown Girl, Trophy, and The Good Catholic. Let’s see what Walleye has to say about them.
With box office figures still in the doldrums, last week hit a new low with the Top 12 films of the week just about scraping $50m. But with only one new wide release out this week, and not a very good one I might add, it looks like we’re going to see that dip well below to $40m mark, making it one of the worst weekends of the last 25 years of US box office history. But fear not, folks, there’s probably something good to watch on TV instead.
September usually starts with a whimper, and this week’s selection is particularly poor. The bottom line is don’t bother, although there may be one gem lurking in the sea of faeces that is this week’s options.
The only wide release this week is Tulip Fever (Weinstein), and it’s barely so with only 600+ theatres screening it. Telling the tale of a couple trying to elope and live off the tulip industry in the 1800s, it stars Dan Dehaan, Alicia Vikander, Chris Waltz, and Judi Dench. And impressive cast, but not enough to shake the troubled past thanks to an unstable Weinstein Company, whose money issues are prominent in the trades. It feels this film had its moment and lost it, and this release strategy only confirms that. At best the film will open to $2m, and the lack of reviews in advance suggest this film is going to wilt. At best you’re going to see 1 T5, 2 PTA, a middling IMDB score, and $6-$7m cume. It’s just not worth your dollars.
Three limited releases come out this weekend, and if it was any other time, I’d say avoid them all. But one has some potential.
It certainly won’t be Unlocked (Lionsgate), an action-thriller starring Orlando Bloom and Noomi Rapace. Why?, because Lionsgate Premiere are releasing it, and essentially it’s just a token gesture to stick it in a few cinemas before focusing on online distribution. You’ll see it come out in a few dozen theatres and make a PTA of less than $1K, so forget it.
A Boy Called Po (Freestyle) may sound like someone got bored before finishing the title, but it’s actually inspired by true events as a widowed father attempts to take care of his autistic son. No major stars appear, and despite being acquired by Entertainment, Freestyle are putting this out and so far this year their releases have delivered poor results. So expect this to be the same. There’s a chance you might get a PTA point or two out of it, but it’s safe to say Po is not short for Potential.
Finally, the documentary Dolores (PBS) sounds like something that belongs on TV screens rather than the cinema. But this story of the labour activist Dolores Huerta who worked with Cesar Chavez to ensure farmers rights amongst many other achievements. With America now paying attention to protests and rights once more, this could be a timely release. It won’t break any records, but could have an opening PTA of $10K, enough to trounce the competition, and earn 5-7 PTA points in total. It’s worth a punt, particularly when it costs $2 in Ultimate.
My predictions for the weekend
1. The Hitman’s Bodyguard - $5.5m ($7m 4-day)
2. Annabelle Creation - $4m ($5m 4-day)
3. Leap! - $2.5m ($4m 4-day)
4. Wind River $2.3m ($3m 4-day)
5. Dunkirk- $2.2m ($3m 4-day)
PTA: Dolores, Beach Rats, Crown Heights, A Boy Called Po, Tulip Fever
When will this slump be beaten? Almost certainly next weekend with the release of the highly anticipated film about a scary clown – no, not coverage of Trump’s latest decisions, but the new adaptation of Stephen King’s It. Also coming out is rom-com Home Again, and limited releases The Unknown Girl, Trophy, and The Good Catholic. Let’s see what Walleye has to say about them.