Was It Worth It - The Films of January
Posted: March 7th, 2014, 11:23 pm
It was a typical January.... one or two beautiful flowers among a vast field of manure.
NG
Cheap PTA picks that failed to net a single point:
Gimme Shelter ($3U) - 6.5 UR. Can't believe I picked this over Gloria on a couple of slates.
F
Labor Day ($8U, $5BO) - 0 T5, 0 PTA, 6.8 UR, $12M. Quite a few people took this. And instantly regretted it.
D-
I, Frankenstein ($11U, $11BO) - 0 T5, 2 PTA (Jan only), 5.4 UR, $19M. Epic fail.
Devil's Due ($10U, $9BO) - 0 T5, 1 PTA (Jan only), 3.9 UR, $16M. Doomed from the word go.
D
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit ($21U, $21BO) - 3 T5, 1 PTA (Nov/Dec) 3 PTA (Jan), 6.5 UR, $50M. Any other month, this might have done better. But then again, probably not.
D+
The Legend of Hercules ($10U, $9BO) - 3 T5, 1 PTA (Nov/Dec), 5 PTA (Jan), 4.3 UR, $18M. Three swords-and-sandals films in three months. This proves that being the first one out doesn't always help.
C-
That Awkward Moment ($10U, $10BO) - 3 T5, 2 PTA, 6.1 UR, $24M. Rom-coms with no true stars will almost never succeed. Neither did this.
C+
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones ($14U, $14BO) - 4 T5, 0 PTA (Nov/Dec), 8 PTA (Jan), 5.1 UR, $32M. Given that this film was pretty much guaranteed eight PTA points, this still turned out to be a crappy pick.
B+
The Nut Job ($11U, $12BO) - 7 T5, 4 PTA (Nov/Dec), 7 PTA (Jan), 5.7 UR, $61M. Surprisingly held its own for a second-tier kids movie.
A-
Like Father, Like Son ($3U) - 6 PTA (Nov/Dec), 7 PTA (Jan), 7.9 UR. A worthy pick.
A
The Best Offer ($3U) - 0 PTA (Nov/Dec), 8 PTA (Jan), 7.9 UR. A fantastic pick (unless you picked in any league but December). This was a
can't-miss pick in January, and if you didn't see that coming, shame on you.
Tim's Vermeer ($3U) - 10 PTA, 7.7 UR. Kudos to Penn & Teller. The first breakout documentary of the year.
And the best picks of January:
A+
Gloria ($3U) - 11 PTA, 7.0 UR. Gotta love a $3 pick that just keeps on racking up points.
Ride Along ($13U, $11BO) - 18 T5, 13 PTA, 6.4 UR, $127M. Kevin Hart is money right now. Plus, being the first worthy "black" movie in months helped a lot (especially after Black Nativity and Madea's Xmas failed to impress).
Here's how my box office predictions fared this month:
HITS
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit - Predicted $20/$55, Actual $17/$50
Devil's Due - Predicted $7/$19, Actual $8/$16
Labor Day - Predicted $6/$14, Actual $5/$12
NEAR MISSES
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones - Predicted $13/$24, Actual $18/$32
The Legend of Hercules - Predicted $6/$13, Actual $9/$18
That Awkward Moment - Predicted $12/$31, Actual $9/$24
EGREGIOUS MISSES
Ride Along - Predicted $31/$75, Actual $42/$127
The Nut Job - Predicted $10/$27, Actual $19/$61
I, Frankenstein - Predicted $20/$43, Actual $9/$19
Hmmm..... 3-3-3. I'll take it.
NG
Cheap PTA picks that failed to net a single point:
Gimme Shelter ($3U) - 6.5 UR. Can't believe I picked this over Gloria on a couple of slates.
F
Labor Day ($8U, $5BO) - 0 T5, 0 PTA, 6.8 UR, $12M. Quite a few people took this. And instantly regretted it.
D-
I, Frankenstein ($11U, $11BO) - 0 T5, 2 PTA (Jan only), 5.4 UR, $19M. Epic fail.
Devil's Due ($10U, $9BO) - 0 T5, 1 PTA (Jan only), 3.9 UR, $16M. Doomed from the word go.
D
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit ($21U, $21BO) - 3 T5, 1 PTA (Nov/Dec) 3 PTA (Jan), 6.5 UR, $50M. Any other month, this might have done better. But then again, probably not.
D+
The Legend of Hercules ($10U, $9BO) - 3 T5, 1 PTA (Nov/Dec), 5 PTA (Jan), 4.3 UR, $18M. Three swords-and-sandals films in three months. This proves that being the first one out doesn't always help.
C-
That Awkward Moment ($10U, $10BO) - 3 T5, 2 PTA, 6.1 UR, $24M. Rom-coms with no true stars will almost never succeed. Neither did this.
C+
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones ($14U, $14BO) - 4 T5, 0 PTA (Nov/Dec), 8 PTA (Jan), 5.1 UR, $32M. Given that this film was pretty much guaranteed eight PTA points, this still turned out to be a crappy pick.
B+
The Nut Job ($11U, $12BO) - 7 T5, 4 PTA (Nov/Dec), 7 PTA (Jan), 5.7 UR, $61M. Surprisingly held its own for a second-tier kids movie.
A-
Like Father, Like Son ($3U) - 6 PTA (Nov/Dec), 7 PTA (Jan), 7.9 UR. A worthy pick.
A
The Best Offer ($3U) - 0 PTA (Nov/Dec), 8 PTA (Jan), 7.9 UR. A fantastic pick (unless you picked in any league but December). This was a
can't-miss pick in January, and if you didn't see that coming, shame on you.
Tim's Vermeer ($3U) - 10 PTA, 7.7 UR. Kudos to Penn & Teller. The first breakout documentary of the year.
And the best picks of January:
A+
Gloria ($3U) - 11 PTA, 7.0 UR. Gotta love a $3 pick that just keeps on racking up points.
Ride Along ($13U, $11BO) - 18 T5, 13 PTA, 6.4 UR, $127M. Kevin Hart is money right now. Plus, being the first worthy "black" movie in months helped a lot (especially after Black Nativity and Madea's Xmas failed to impress).
Here's how my box office predictions fared this month:
HITS
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit - Predicted $20/$55, Actual $17/$50
Devil's Due - Predicted $7/$19, Actual $8/$16
Labor Day - Predicted $6/$14, Actual $5/$12
NEAR MISSES
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones - Predicted $13/$24, Actual $18/$32
The Legend of Hercules - Predicted $6/$13, Actual $9/$18
That Awkward Moment - Predicted $12/$31, Actual $9/$24
EGREGIOUS MISSES
Ride Along - Predicted $31/$75, Actual $42/$127
The Nut Job - Predicted $10/$27, Actual $19/$61
I, Frankenstein - Predicted $20/$43, Actual $9/$19
Hmmm..... 3-3-3. I'll take it.