Steve Mason is reporting that Roland Emmerich's 2012 made $25 million yesterday and is looking at a $60 million weekend total. Variety said it might go well over $40 million, and I predicted the high 40s and maybe a nudge over $50 million -- and we were both too cautious. Everyone was.
Robert Zemeckis and Jim Carrey's A Christmas Carol took in $5.5 million yesterday -- a "decent" hold -- with an expected $20.4 million weekend tally and a 10-day cume of just under $50 million. The big indie story is Lee Daniels' Precious (Lionsgate) taking in $1.75 million yesterday from just 174 screens and a likely $5.3 million by Sunday night, for roughly a $30,000 per screen average.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 14, 2009 at 6:47 AM
comment #1
cinefan
says ...
I really don't get Welles' point of view on Monique's performance. If she's great in the role and deserves Oscar recognition for excellent work, who cares if she plays an morally ugly and reprehensible "devil" in the film? My memory might be faulty, but didn't Javier Bardem win an Oscar a few years ago for playing "a monster like the Wolfman or Gorgo or Hannibal Lecter, without Lecter's charm"? I don't remember Welles complaining then about Bardem's Oscar victory - what's the difference this year with Monique?
Posted by cinefan
at November 14, 2009 7:35 AM
comment #2
vansmith
says ...
watching this movie is like being in a crowded elevator with someone who has stepped in shit..
Posted by vansmith
at November 14, 2009 7:40 AM
comment #3
great scott
says ...
Not a surprise A Christmas Carol is holding well. All Christmas movies released in early/mid-November do the same thing.Do OK for a couple of weekends and then have good legs once people get into the spirit. Bet it'll give New Moon a run for it's money for #1 for Thanksgiving weekend.
Posted by great scott
at November 14, 2009 8:21 AM
comment #4
QualityGibberish
says ...
I think Bardem's character had lots of charm, actually. Haven't seen "Precious" and ain't gonna, because it's more like torture, imo, both for the characters in the film and also its viewers. People who find that fascinating have obvious sado/masochistic issues. At least Bardem's character got the job done quick and took no obvious pleasure in prolonging it, contrary to Monique's, whose apparent reason for being is merely to inflict pain and humiliation.
Posted by QualityGibberish
at November 14, 2009 8:37 AM
comment #5
great scott
says ...
Which movie, vansmith?
Posted by great scott
at November 14, 2009 8:46 AM
comment #6
The Winchester
says ...
"Bet it'll give New Moon a run for it's money for #1 for Thanksgiving weekend."
You are seriously underestimating the appeal of Old Dogs. But Christmas Carol will remain steady for a bit, especially since it has a clear run of the 3D houses until Avatar comes out, where they can charge higher prices and inflate grosses.
While I am deeply disturbed that 2012 made that much money, one could look at the "We Were Warned" ads are being prophetic about the onslaught on our senses and taste.
Posted by The Winchester
at November 14, 2009 9:13 AM
comment #7
Jeffrey Wells
says ...
Bardem's Anton Chigur was a perverse and darkly charismatic figure -- there was a winking-at-the-audience thing going on the entire time with him. He was a ghost, a Coen brothers nudge-nudge. Mo'Nique's mom-from-hell is just flat-out cruel and detestable.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells
at November 14, 2009 9:15 AM
comment #8
Deathtongue_Groupie
says ...
Pardon me while I look smug for my $50-70M prediction.
Posted by Deathtongue_Groupie
at November 14, 2009 12:19 PM
comment #9
Scott Mendelson
says ...
Actually, even film snobs like myself might want to check out 2012. CGI destruction aside, it's 2.5 hours largely headed by John Cusack and (even better) acting gods Chiwetel Ejiofor and Oliver Platt. The latter two actually have almost as much combined screentime as Cusack and his imperiled family, which makes 2012 a half of a very good movie indeed. Even the family in peril stuff isn't as annoying as I feared.
Posted by Scott Mendelson
at November 14, 2009 2:36 PM
comment #10
DeeZee
says ...
scott: That doesn't sound like "holding well" to me. It's dying before it even gets to Thanksgiving. And if Bolt couldn't beat Twilight, then 'Carol doesn't have a chance against New Moon.
Winchester: 2012 is a one-week wonder. When you got people at my theater looking at their iPods instead of at a picture geared specifically towards them, you know it's failed.
Posted by DeeZee
at November 14, 2009 4:30 PM
comment #11
DeeZee
says ...
Wow, this turkey costs as much as Avatar. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190080/business
Posted by DeeZee
at November 14, 2009 4:53 PM
comment #12
Scott Mendelson
says ...
Actually DeeZee, and I can only speak to my own experience, but our packed 6:15pm crowd Woodland Hills was completely into the movie. I didn't see a single cell phone light, no one wandered in and out of the theater at random, and there was a bare minimum of chatter. In fact, the theater was (inexplicably) applauding during every positive story beat. It was ridiculous of course, but it was one of the more enjoyable theater experiences I've had in awhile, which is possibly why I cut the film a little slack.
Posted by Scott Mendelson
at November 14, 2009 6:48 PM
comment #13
bachelorcool
says ...
Somehow the words "DeeZee" and "turkey" seem destined to go with each other. Does this cretin actually know what he's talking about? Having endured his interminable links, crass criticisms, and utter lack of anything resembling correct box office analysis, I just wish he would get washed away like some rambling biblical prophet whom anybody with any sense whatsoever would stop paying even the merest morsel of attention to.
Posted by bachelorcool
at November 15, 2009 1:34 AM
comment #14
DeeZee
says ...
Scott: I don't doubt that they liked it, but whether or not they're willing to sit through it again's another story. I mean, you really have to like the Russkie Jar Jars to want to endure their antics for 2 1/2 hours a second time.
Posted by DeeZee
at November 15, 2009 1:54 AM
comment #15
poseidon72
says ...
I totaly agree with Scott. The packed audience I saw 2012 with loved it. There were cheers and clapping all around. I LOVED the film. YES I love the disaster genre and The Poseidon Adventure is my favorite movie (I love his hommage to it) but this was a fine event movie.
MY top TEN favorite Disaster films
http://blog.entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com/2009/11/12/chucks-top-ten-disaster-films-of-all-time/
Posted by poseidon72
at November 15, 2009 1:06 PM