Predicting the Movie Hits and Bombs of 2013

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Vidiot, Mar 1, 2013.

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  1. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Funny you mention "Be Cool" - it was a weak movie but Johnson was really quite good in it. I think that was the first time I realized that he was more than just an action hero sort. From my original review:

    "To my surprise, the Rock’s take on Elliot presents the movie’s best material. The Rock neatly balances parody and realism, as he embraces the character’s flamboyant tendencies but doesn’t make him swishy or one-dimensional. There’s a sense of lightness about the character that pokes fun at some stereotypes while it mocks them and digs into the irony of the ultra-macho Rock as a gay guy. It’s a loose and likable performance that adds zest to his scenes. "
     
  2. I'll co-sign this, esp re: "the Rock"'s affinity for comedy - can't say I'm too familiar with his movies, but I think he's done a good job on his SNL appearances.
     
  3. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    It's hard for me to recommend any of his comedic films - he's been good but most of the movies themselves aren't too hot. I did think "Pain and Gain" was mostly entertaining, though, and DJ's good in it...
     
  4. Maggie

    Maggie like a walking, talking art show

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    He was great in the stupid Be Cool.
     
  5. PhilBorder

    PhilBorder Senior Member

    Location:
    Sheboygan, WI
    Because....? You think it'll be crappy? Or it'll be good there's been too many monster movies lately...? or ...? I was kinda of thinking a GOOD Godzilla movie would always be welcome.
     
  6. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    Fast 6...
     
  7. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    And Fast 7, now in production (with a new director). The guy who did the last four or five films, Justin Lin, is very sharp. I can see how he's take what's on the surface was a very silly heist/race car movie and turn it into the biggest franchise Universal's ever had.

    I'm skeptical it can be done. It ain't gonna be better than Pacific Rim, and that movie barely made any money. I'm not convinced audiences want to pay to see this.
     
  8. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    Cool! looking forward to 7!...6 was outrageously entertaining. Yes, Lin is excellent.
     
  9. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    yea, me too! but we are all entitled to an opinion as log as the opinionator doesn't expect that their opinion is all.:)
     
  10. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    Did you see The Tooth Fairy? :eek:

    I don't doubt it. Sometimes, movies that makes tons of money really earn it. Fast & Furious 6 made almost $800 million, and while it's a total popcorn movie, at least it's an extremely well-done popcorn movie (by all accounts). Serious, sensible, and dramatic... you ain't gonna get that in a movie like this. But I think there's a place for junk food in somebody's diet, provided you do it in moderation. I'll see a mindless movie once in awhile, but it's rare you see one put together with as much care as what Justin Lin does in his films.
     
  11. PNeski@aol.com

    [email protected] Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    didn't you like Ted?
     
  12. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    Me? Sure, I loved Ted. I was very skeptical that McFarland could pull it off, but he won me over in the first minute. The movie was funny as hell. After I saw it, I was convinced it would be a hit, but I had no idea it would wind up making $550M. I figured even half of that would be optimistic. Movies like this are the right films at the right time: the audience was ready for an over-the-top, gross-out comedy, and Ted filled the bill. It helped that the movie was very funny, well-done, and you completely believed the title character.

    I had some logic issues with certain things, like how could a 2-pound plush toy knock out a 170-pound buff guy like Marky Mark, but at some point, you gotta buy into it. In fact, I think the fight scene in the film was one of the most impressive in the entire movie:



    I agree with that. Pain and Gain was a big surprise, and I was glad to see that Michael Bay could make a movie with complex characters that didn't go totally over the top, and actually told a fairly realistic (albeit bizarre) story that made sense. And that was a fairly inexpensive movie, too -- cost $26M, made over $75M, which is a hit by any definition.
     
  13. PhilBorder

    PhilBorder Senior Member

    Location:
    Sheboygan, WI
    I hope you're wrong! I hope it's what the Director says it's going to be - a 'realistic' Godzilla movie. But I fear you may be right...
     
  14. progrocker71

    progrocker71 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    As I mentioned earlier I think the big difference between Pacific Rim and Godzilla is brand recognition, much easier to market a film when there's a franchise dating back to the 1950s. If they get the tone right and put forth an excellent marketing campaign I think it could be a decent size hit.
     
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  15. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Yup. That was a comedic misfire for Johnson. Actually, I thought the movie was moderately entertaining for what it was, but Johnson wasn't very good:

    "As for Johnson himself, I think he can be a very good comedic actor, but he goes a bit too far over the top as Derek. Johnson tends to play the part large! Some of that makes sense for a goofy comic fantasy, but I think Johnson overacts too much of the time. He has a lot of natural talent; he doesn’t need to mug and goof so heavily. "

    I still think he's a good comedic actor - one bad performance doesn't negate his talent. I could pick out lots of bad performances from great actors - that wouldn't "prove" they suck or are stupid, which you apparently believe is true for Johnson...
     
  16. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    I'll take whatever way the Director goes for. I may be the only one who won't bitch about it before it's released!:laugh:
     
  17. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    my son is harping on me to watch this...:) he loved it.
     
  18. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    ah, a positive review...how refreshing!:laugh:
     
  19. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Agree. I actually enjoyed the 1998 "Godzilla" - it clearly has problems but I think it's reasonably entertaining.

    "Pacific Rim" was a disappointment. Maybe I'll like it more on BD, but I thought it was pretty meh theatrically...
     
  20. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR! Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    Doh, I think Pacific Rim is practically Citizen Kane compared to Godzilla. At least Del Toro's film surprised me and tried some new ideas; Godzilla is just a retread of a retread of a retread. We've seen it all before. Note also that Pacific Rim is a movie that cost about $190 million and is just now crawling to $470M at the box office. Technically, I think it's broken even, but it's not the huge hit they were hoping for. I don't see an audience for another Godzilla remake being nearly this big.

    I think Dwayne Johnson is good when he's beating the hell outta somebody or shooting the hell out of somebody. Not so good when he talks.

    Didn't we see this already, with Cloverfield? That's about as realistic as it gets, almost like a reality show/monster movie. I think it had some good moments, but ultimately I don't think it was a satisfying movie; it was like acts 1 and 2 of a story without a 3rd act.
     
  21. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    Realistic? Cloverfield?
    If I had to pick the worst movie ever made it would have to be Cloverfield! a F'n sick joke on the movie viewer...I can honesty say I hated that movie...rare for me, but it really., really pissed me off...heaven forbid if the upcoming Godzilla movie is shot similar to Cloverfield...:hurl: life is not viewed through a shaky camcorder...yes, and the 3 seconds of a corny monster, yea right. The gimmick did not work for me whatsoever!:laugh:
     
  22. Huck Caton

    Huck Caton Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Sherman Oaks, CA
    I boomed the LA leg of Pacific Rim and can't say enough good things about Guillermo del Toro. (Here's a shot of him in the water directing his cast… in January 2012! Even here in LA, it's usually pretty cold the first week in January. Well, our kind of cold, anyway.) I took my two visiting kids to the cast and crew screening back in July and, even though it's not the kind of picture we usually like, we all found Pacific Rim to be great fun. Guillermo greeted each and every person at the screening and blabbed for quite a bit regarding his hopes for the movie. He felt it was going to be a hard uphill climb to box office success as the picture wasn't a sequel, didn't have any stars, didn't have a story taken from a popular book, etc.

    Turns out, Guillermo was correct; Pacific Rim made its money back but not a whole lot more. I was (and continue to be) surprised it didn't do better here in the US. I've worked on duds that felt like duds from day one (The Forbidden Kingdom, Body of Evidence, The Big Bounce, and more!) but Pacific Rim seemed to have all the ingredients necessary to be a summer hit. I'm guessing Warners thought so, too!

    IMG_2751.JPG
     
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  23. PH416156

    PH416156 Alea Iacta Est

    Location:
    Europe
    :)I think Vidiot was talking about "Fast 5". He mentioned Rio De Janeiro, and the Brazilian city was featured prominently on Fast 5. Most of "Fast 6" takes place in Europe.
     
  24. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    no, no he was not...no safe in Fast 5...it was Fast 6 Sorry...

     
  25. PH416156

    PH416156 Alea Iacta Est

    Location:
    Europe
    :)The clip you posted says "Fast Five #6 movie clip"...the vault scene is on Fast Five; in fact you can see Jordana Brewster assisting Paul Walker.

    On this year's Fast 6, she briefly appeared; furthermore in the last act she is a hostage so could not help Walker or any other of the Fast gang


    More "Fast Five" clips

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5SLPDdEctk

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oUmZ14A5sI

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO5V-tnEsFM

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD2ozQ4HFsE
     
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