SIX TIPS, OR HOW TO PLEASE YOUR SLATE – THE FILMS OF 8/11

[numbersix]

Barbenheimer is the bodysnatchers of 2023 cinema. As I strolled into the cinema last week to see Talk to Me, I hesitated at the ticket desk, in fear that seeing another film may be perceived as a betrayal. The film-goers around me, donned in bright pink or donned in dark exposition-heavy gear, would point their collective fingers and chase me though the streets. Fortunately, it seems there’s space for more than just those 2 saviours of cinema, with last week seeing a record-breaking July weekend as 4 films earned over $28m, including newbies TMNT: Mutant Mayhem and The Meg 2: Ryan’s Revenge making decent bucks. And horror Talk to Her and Tea Party-hearty Sound of Freedom also held well. Will this weekend introduce another slate of winners?

Hell no.

In fact, the big opener Gran Turismo, based on the true story of a racecar driver inspired by the yawntastic video game series, has fled from the radioactive pink and parked itself on August 25th. There are previews this weekend, but I don’t think they will be included in the game? If so, the film may be worth your $14 in Ultimate, as it could earn some PTA this weekend and next, and some T5 points from there.





So that just leaves The Last Voyage of the Demeter (Universal), a pretty baffling title considering it’s a DRACULA MOVIE. It’s an adaptation of Stoker’s novel, focusing just on the journey that carnivore-containing-coffin takes aboard a spooky ship. Andre Ovredal (The Autopsy of Jane Doe) helms the long-gestating Amblin production, with Corey Hawkins, and Irish folk Liam Cunningham and Aisling Franciosi starring. With no advance reviews, and no festival previews, there’s pretty much zero buzz about this film, so this won’t be performing above expectations the way Talk to Me did. It’s hard to figure out how much it’ll make, but mid single digits feels like a best case scenario. For $8 in both games, much like the crew of the Demeter, this flick is dead on arrival.

Three limited releases battle it out on the PTA front.





The Pod Generation (Vertical) is a sci-fi drama about a future where parents can co-share a growing foetus. Sadly, Arnold Schwarzeneggar is not involved, and it instead features Emilia Clarke and Chiwetel Ejiofor. It opened in Sundance but the response was decidedly mixed. In fact, it’s 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. With Vertical handling the release, don’t expect this to deliver anything of value.





Jules (Bleecker St) is the kind of mid-level feel-good, OAP-aiming feature that could appeal to some who just love a gentle old time. That said, it is about an aged man (Ben Kingsley) who encounters an alien, so perhaps it’s too silly for those in God’s waiting room. Bleecker will probably put it out in 50-100 theatres, if not more, so forget about this getting you anything.




Finally Love Life (Oscilloscope), the Japanese drama by Koji Fukada that opened in Venice last year, seems to have its proper release pushed, yet now appears to be coming out in a single theatre this weekend. It could be good for a few points this weekend and its 7.1 IMDB might make it worth your $2 in Ultimate.



Predictions for the weekend

1. Barbs - $40m
2. Ops- $16m
3. Turtles - $16m
4. Megs - $12m
5. Vamps- $5m

PTA: (Gran Turismo), Barbie, Love Life, Passages, Oppenheimer, Turtles


Next weekend Tranny takes on wide releases Strays and Blue Beetle, as well as Landscape with Invisible Hand, Mutt, and Birth/Rebirth

[Buscemi2]

The Pod Generation is playing in my market this weekend and for some reason, it makes me think a lot of Dual from last year. Dual didn't do any business so I don't expect this one to either.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter is getting dumped basically. I'm not sure why you'd do a two-hour adaptation of a short chapter in Dracula. Universal should have just remade Dracula instead of doing two films based on small elements of the story.

And I could see Jules ending up on worst of the year lists. This one looks so bad.

[Buscemi2]

Well, Gran Turismo isn't the critical hit Sony hoped it would be. Metacritic is currently at a 47.

[transformers2]

Weekend Estimates:
Barbie $33.7 mil
Oppenheimer $18.8 mil
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem $15.8 mil
Meg 2: The Trench $12.7 mil
The Last Voyage of the Demeter $6.5 mil
Haunted Mansion $5.6 mil
Talk to Me $5.1 mil
Sound of Freedom $4.8 mil
Mission-Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One $4.7 mil
Jalier $2.5 mil

-Jules $834.4 k
-Love Life $2.1k

PTA:
Barbie $8.1k
Oppenheimer $5k
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem $4k
Meg 2: The Trench $3.5k
Passages $2.5k


No word on The Pod Generation yet

[transformers2]

Weekend Actuals:
1.Barbie $33.8 mil
2.Oppenheimer $18.8 mil
3.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem $15.3 mil
4.Meg 2: The Trench $12.8 mil
5.The Last Voyage of the Demeter $6.5 mil
6.Haunted Mansion $5.8 mil
7.Talk to Me $5.1 mil
8.Sound of Freedom $4.9 mil
9.Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One $4.6 mil
10.Jalier $2.6 mil

-Jules $839,622
-Love Life $1,782

PTA:
1.Barbie $8,097
2.Oppenheimer $5,002
3.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem $3,867
4.Meg 2: The Trench $3,564
5.The Last Voyage of the Demeter $2,395

-Love Life $1,782
-Jules $1,076 (780 theaters)

The Pod Generation didn't report