SPEARE'S TIPS - The Films of 9/9/11

[W]

If you don't remember, me and THS are from the same place. We have two theaters side by side (both AMC newly switched over from Kerasotes), one is an older eight theater that's slightly outdated and the other is twelve theaters (I believe), with mostly bigger theaters comparably and 3D compatibility. They're pretty much treated as a single 20-theater complex, except not connected, by the customers.

The newer one gets big blockbusters, the Harry Potters, Planet of the Apes, Transformers, etc. The older one gets Drive, Spy Kids, etc and takes the big films when they have been out a while and need to clear space for something else. THS works in the older one.

[Buscemi]

Oh, I see. But I do also know that Drive is an indie film. A lot of the big mainstream houses pass on movies from independent labels.

[W]

They get indie films at the older theater every once in a while as well. They don't normally come to the bigger theater unless they reach Slumdog status, I believe.

[thswrestler160]

ya sorry I forgot to clarify the two theater thing. Since AMC took over they have actually been giving both theaters the same movies though which has driven our attendance into the ground since no one wants to see a movie at a 14 year old theater when there is a new one 200 ft away. Since they have started doing that it has been rare that we get a movie to ourselves that isn't an arthouse so when we do we know its going to bomb. The arthouse movies that we do play like 7 days in Utopia, Sarah's key, Midnight in paris, Buck, Tree of life. They all tend to do more business than we have for a shared movie even if its a big one. We got a 3d and 2d of transformers when it came out and had more people come to see Midnight in paris ow. That was with the other theater selling out its shows. ppl would rather wait a day to see a movie than at my theater.

my theater brings down all the big movies pta

[Geezer]

I'm still fairly high on Drive. I don't think its going to break the bank, but I would be surprised if it didn't pull in a solid 40-50 million.

[Shrykespeare]

Well, Geez, in the BO HY July league, it's going to have to do at least $40 million in order for you, Ron B, Wasp and ColoredXIII to catch Empire13 for 2nd place. In other words, Drive has to outgross One Day and Our Idiot Brother put together.

[Buscemi]

I'm getting word that the I Don't Know How She Does It sneaks aren't doing well. A crowd report that I found on HSX had it as being 35% full in a 175 seat auditorium. If this is the same at other theatres, don't expect a good weekend on it.

[MisterInformative]

Surprise surprise...

[Geezer]

In other news, the Pope is Catholic.

[Geezer]

Well, Geez, in the BO HY July league, it's going to have to do at least $40 million in order for you, Ron B, Wasp and ColoredXIII to catch Empire13 for 2nd place. In other words, Drive has to outgross One Day and Our Idiot Brother put together.

Don't worry, Shryke, if I don't score an IM in that league, I'm fairly confident I will in the next one.

[Buscemi]

I didn't understand why they sneaked it or why The Weinstein Company was opening in 2,800 theatres. Maybe they knew something we didn't.

Looks like we're right for the moment.

[Shrykespeare]

Sunday Estimates

Top 10:
5 points - Contagion, $23.1M
4 points - The Help, $8.7M
3 points - Warrior, $5.6M
2 points - The Debt, $4.9M
1 point - Colombiana, $4.0M
Planet of the Apes, $3.9M
Shark Night, $3.5M
Apollo 18, $2.9M
Our Idiot Brother, $2.8M
Spy Kids 4, $2.5M

You'll love this: a new film called Laugh at My Pain earned $2M in only 97 theaters (#1 PTA if it had been included), which is more than Bucky Larson earned ($1.45M) in 1,500 theaters.

Creature earned $331K in 1,507 theaters.


PTA:

I'm going to hold off on this for now, because the numbers for Love in Space, Burke and Hare and Gainsbourg were not reported yet. I will say that Contagion is #1 of the films that were, followed by Love Crime and Warrior.

[Buscemi]

Laugh At My Pain is a concert film with Kevin Hart. I knew that Kevin Hart had a following (I believe his Facebook page has over a million followers) but I didn't realize he was that popular.

[Geezer]

Me either

[Shrykespeare]

Sunday Actuals

Top 10:
5 points - Contagion, $22.4M
4 points - The Help, $8.9M
3 points - Warrior, $5.2M
2 points - The Debt, $4.8M
1 point - Colombiana, $3.95M
Planet of the Apes, $3.89M
Shark Night, $3.4M
Apollo 18, $2.9M
Our Idiot Brother, $2.7M
Spy Kids 4, $2.5M

#15. Bucky Larson, $1.4M


PTA (Jul/Aug):
5 points - Contagion, $6,953
4 points - Love Crime, $4,267
3 points - Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life, $3,926
2 points - The Help, $3,041
1 point - Warrior, $2,805

PTA (Sep):
5 points - Contagion, $6,953
4 points - Love Crime, $4,267
3 points - Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life, $3,926
2 points - Warrior, $2,805
1 point - The Debt, $2,546

Love in Space and Burke and Hare both crapped out, earning less than $1,000 PTA.