Was It Worth It - The Films of October

[Shrykespeare]

Some surprises in this month, to be sure.


F
It's Kind of a Funny Story, $5U (0 PTA) - It all came down to theater count, and this got too many for any PTA points at all.
Welcome to the Rileys, $5U (0 PTA) - A good cast and well-reviewed, but it just failed to impress.
Strange Powers - Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic FIelds, $4U (0 PTA) - Musical documentaries often hit big, but the source material was too unknown to make a splash.

D
Tamara Drewe, $5U (1 PTA) - so that's two continents this film struck out on.
My Soul To Take, $10U, $5BO (1 Top 5) - bad horror with no stars = bad pick.
Let Me In, $11U, $12BO (0 Top 5, 3 PTA) - for such a promising and well-reviewed film, this deserved much better.

C-
Stone, $7U (3 PTA) - for its price tag, it should have done better.
Freakonomics, $4 (2 PTA) - It was guaranteed PTA because it was in October's first week, but it got the shortest shrift.

C
Saw 3D, $15U, $17BO (6 Top 5, 5 PTA, $44M) - Let's face it, that's better than we were expecting it to do.
Conviction, $7U (4 PTA) - just a little btter than Stone for the same price, but only just.
Hereafter, $15U, $14BO (3 Top 5, 7 PTA) - it's only because of its limited first-week PTA victory that this even gets a passing grade.

C+
Life As We Know It, $14U, $14BO (5 Top 5, 0 PTA, $51M) - For a forgettable rom-com, it made some decent coin, but fell flat in the other categories.
Wild Target, $5U (3 PTA) - Not a bad little Britcom, but not stellar either.

B-
Nowhere Boy, $5U (4 PTA) - Just under 1 PTA per dollar is acceptable.
Monsters, $5U (4 PTA) - see above.

B
Douchebag, $4U (4 PTA) - Four for $4? Even trade.

B+
Secretariat, $12U, $13BO (5 Top 5) - This film had great legs, much like the titular character. No PTA, but still satisfactory.
Red, $16U, $17BO (12 Top 5, 1 PTA) - Though it got trumped by Jackass on its OW, it held on in the Top 5 for a lot longer.

A-
Paranormal Activity 2, $17U, $18BO (9 Top 5, 6 PTA, $82M) - Once again, could very well be the #1 horror film of the year.

A
The Social Network, $13U, $13BO (14 Top 5, 5 PTA [Jul/Sep leagues], 7 PTA [Oct leagues], $88M) - What can you say? Facebook rocks!
Jackass 3D, $14U, $16BO (11 Top 5, 7 PTA, $115M) - All that AND at 7.2 Rating? Holy balls.


And the best pick of October:

A+
Inside Job, $3U (13 PTA) - A PTA bargain-basement goldmine. And why not? A documentary that puts a human face on why life sucks in this country right now is going to do well no matter what.





Here's how my predictions fared this month:

HITS
Life As We Know It - Predicted $16/$40, Actual $15/$51
Red - Predicted $22/$65, Actual $23/$80
Paranormal Activity 2 - Predicted $38/$75, Actual $41/$82


NEAR MISSES
Saw 3D - Predicted $26/$55, Actual $22/$44
Secretariat - Predicted $12/$42, Actual $13/$55


EGREGIOUS MISSES
My Soul to Take - Predicted $10/$23, Actual $7/$15
Let Me In - Predicted $8/$18, Actual $5/$11
The Social Network - Predicted $17/$43, Actual $23/$88
Jackass 3D - Predicted $17/$48, Actual $50/$115

[mateostarr]

Can't fathom why Inside Job was $3. That was an obvious PTA king.