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Bard's Eye View: Maybe Somewhere Down the Road a Ways / You'll Think of Me and Wonder Where I Am These Days
28 November 2008 10:38 AM, PST
Don't Panic!! This should be a very familiar phrase. It's inscribed in big friendly letters on the cover of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, perhaps the most successful book ever to come out of the great publishing corporations of Ursa Minor. More popular than The Celestial Homecare Omnibus, better selling than Fifty-Three More Things to Do in Zero Gravity, and more controversial than Oolon Colluphid's trilogy of philosophical blockbusters, Where God Went Wrong, Some More of God's Greatest Mistakes and Who Is This God Person Anyway?
Shrykespeare
Dances With The Arthouse: All Good Things ...
28 November 2008 8:54 AM, PST
Sad news happens all the time around the planet, and each sad story is of different proportions. I can't say that the news that shook my world (and some of yours, who are reading this) this week could be considered terrible in regards to what many societies are going through every day. The fact is, however, that Fantasy Moguls will no longer exist in a matter of days, and with that disappearance, this is officially the last Dances with the Arthouse column I will ever write for the site.
Indie Jones
Tip Of The Week: Giving Thanks for Movies and Farewell to Fantasy Moguls
26 November 2008 8:58 AM, PST
Greetings, Moguls! With Thanksgiving just a day away, and the unfortunate news that Fantasy Moguls is being discontinued, this week's column marks a sort of deviation from the norm, for me. Tossing price and strategy analysis aside, and focusing instead on personal opinion and the holiday's theme of gratitude, this week I'm bringing you my Thankful 10 — I'll tell you the five films released in the past 12 months, and the five coming out in the next year, that I’m most thankful for.
Mister Informative
Final Weekend Tracking: 'Four Christmases' Likely Winner w/$38.5M for 5-Day; 'Twilight' Next in Line w/$30.7M; 'Bolt' Potentially at No. 3, Followed by 'Transporter 3' at $26.8M and 'Australia' at $24M!
25 November 2008 9:21 PM, PST
Steve Mason is now on Facebook and also on Twitter (For immediate box office updates, "follow" me.) Tuesday 9:30 p.m. (Pacific): The general consensus is that, although Four Christmases (Warner Bros.) is a flawed movie — I'm being kind — it is going to open. It's been very well cast, with Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon pulling Females Under 25, Vince Vaughn pumping up appeal with Males Under 25 and Oscar winners like Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek and Mary Steenburgen luring in the 25 Plus crowd. The truth is that there is always room for a Christmas comedy at Thanksgiving. The high water mark was 2000's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which opened with $55 million on its way to $260 million domestic, but there is a proven track record for Christmas-themed films opening either right at Thanksgiving or a week or two before.
Steve Mason
Dances With The Arthouse: Bracing for an Indie Explosion in the Shadow of James Bond
25 November 2008 2:04 PM, PST
Today Dances With the Arthouse is going to be multicultural. One of the pleasures of writing about limited releases is the excitement of discussing films from all parts of the world — I must confess that I am always a bit disappointed when U.S. indies are all I have to preview. This week my overview fall on Nov. 14. While James Bond and his Quantum of Solace adventure will finally arrive in America's multiplexes (two weeks after us happy Europeans!), five arthouse films will attempt to shine in smaller circles. German, Indian, French, British and, yes, American — pick a nationality, they will all be represented on Nov. 14, and for all kinds of Fantasy Moguls prices. Need a little advice as to what you should ignore, what you should snatch up, and what could go either way? I will do my best.
Indie Jones
Bard's Eye View: Jumbo Jim Tangles with Big Willy on the Weekend Before Christmas
25 November 2008 9:58 AM, PST
[Note: Shrykespeare submitted this column prior to Monday's announcement regarding the future of Fantasy Moguls.] Good day, fellow intrepid travelers of the murky moors of Fantaversia, and welcome to the latest installment of Bard's Eye View. The calendar year is winding down, and studios are hoping to end 2008 with a far bigger bang than it began. (Remember One Missed Call? You know ... Omc?Anyone? Anyone?) Also winding down are the 1st Annual Super Leagues, and the few contestants who remain are trying doggedly to avoid that final brutal cut. It's so nice to be the one with the scissors ... (Wink.)
Shrykespeare
Weekend Estimates: 'Twilight' Takes $70.5M Bite out of Box Office!; Bella and Edward Could Grab $114M by End of Next Weekend, but Only $140M Domestic; Bond Beats Out 'Bolt' for No. 2, but Disney's Canine Caper Could Score $36M 5-Day Holiday Take!
21 November 2008 10:16 PM, PST
Steve Mason is now on Facebook and also on Twitter! (For immediate box office updates, "follow" me.) Sunday 9:30 a.m. (Pacific): Twilight (Summit), based on the wildly popular Stephenie Meyer series of novels, has blown past even the most optimistic industry expectations with an estimated $70.55 million opening weekend. The movie, which had teen girls lined up Thursday at midnight and generated an estimated $7.5 million by sunrise on Friday, finished its first day with about $35.7 million. The movie has proved to be hyper-frontloaded, however, diving 41 percent on Saturday for about $21 million, followed by a possible 34 percent Sunday slide for $13.9 million. (My published projection Friday night was $70.58 million.)
Steve Mason
Final Weekend Tracking: Stephenie Meyer's 'Twilight' Could Suck $65M from Moviegoes on Opening Weekend; Disney's 'Bolt' to Bark Up $40M!
19 November 2008 9:42 PM, PST
Steve Mason is now on Facebook. Steve Mason is also on Twitter with user name SteveMason323. For immediate box office updates, "follow" me. A housewife in suburban Phoenix is responsible for the movie that will dominate America's multiplexes this weekend. Twilight (Summit) is a phenomenon in industry tracking and advance sales, and two separate competing studio sources are telling me that they expect the film adaptation of Bella and Edward's forbidden romance to top $60 million in its opening three days. It's not really proportional to compare Twilight author Stephenie Meyer to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, especially since Meyer's success might not have been possible without Rowling before her. Both authors are moms who had never written anything prior to selling millions of novels with series that are widely read by teen and 'tweens. Meyer herself, however, does not believe that the Twilight saga could have become a sensation...
Steve Mason
Dances With The Arthouse: Howard's End or Why Indie Thinks You Should Not (or Maybe Should) Shell Out for Tricky Dick and Frosty the Snowman
19 November 2008 2:58 AM, PST
America is a nation of proud people. Proud of their country, proud of their image, proud of their beliefs. The feeling of collective confidence is probably more developed than in any other nation on the globe. That pride does not skip the cinema, and by the calendar alone, it is easy to guess which films distributors are proud to be releasing. Your movie is getting a January release? An end-of-August/beginning-of-September release? A March or April release? It looks like your distributor does not entirely believe your film will be remembered by cinephiles. Of course, small distributors are less apt to think that way as most of the time they only buy films they've been charmed by.
Indie Jones
Bard's Eye View: It's the End of the World as We Know It and Keanu Reeves Feels Fine
18 November 2008 4:04 AM, PST
Hello, good day to you all, and welcome once again to Bard's Eye View. Being Fantay Moguls's second-most-tenured weekly columnist (after the August Mister Informative) gives me a unique perspective. On the one hand, I'd like to think my position commands a certain amount of respect, but there are always those who delight in taking me down a peg or poking holes in my (guffaw) research. Which is fine: Those of you who just love that feeling of schadenfreude should know that there is currently a thread on the Message Boards where you can basically go Against my "Weekend Winners" picks from a couple weeks ago. So if you want to put your money where your, erm, fingers are, have at me! (Those who picked dual Top 5 and PTA victories for Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa are already a half-point ahead of me; I honestly didn't think it would open...
Shrykespeare
Weekend Estimates: 'Quantum' Is Biggest Bond Ever with $70.4M Opening and $700M Worldwide Possible!; 'Escape 2 Africa' w/$36.1M and May Be Biggest Non-'Shrek' Title from DreamWorks Animation; 'Slumdog' Is Likely PTA Winner After Besting Bond!
14 November 2008 10:06 PM, PST
Steve Mason is now on Facebook. Sunday 12:00 p.m. (Pacific): The audacious reboot of the James Bond franchise paid off big with 2006's Casino Royale, and now Quantum of Solace (Sony) has hit an even bigger box-office jackpot. Whereas Daniel Craig's 007 debut opened with $40.8 million, the new Bond, which picks up where Royale left off, will better that mark by almost $30 million, with $70.4 million at U.S. theaters. That is a 72 percent increase. In fact, Quantum of Solace has opened about 50 percent better than the previous biggest Bond opening, Pierce Brosnan in Die Another Day in 2002, which started with $47.1 million.
Steve Mason
Final Weekend Tracking: Sony Will Get More Than 'Solace' from Its Rebooted Bond w/$60M Possible; 'Madagascar 2' Could Add Another $40M!
12 November 2008 8:38 PM, PST
reboot: to restart a film franchise, ignoring everything that pertains to the story and characters from previous films; often includes a distinct change in tone Back in 2003, when Warner Bros. began discussing a new version of Batman, the concept of rebooting a film franchise didn't really exist. As director Christopher Nolan tried to decided who would assume "the cape," he couldn't have realized that he would be revolutionizing the way major studios approach their most lucrative franchises.
Steve Mason
Dances With The Arthouse: Feeling Betrayed While Sipping from a Tall, Cold Glass of Sean Penn
12 November 2008 5:32 AM, PST
Choosing an arthouse film as a Fantasy Moguls player is sometimes as tricky as choosing an arthouse film to go and see at your local arthouse theater (if you happen to live near one). Sometimes you think you just need to bank on a respected director, on a critic's favorite, or on a festival winner. Or even better if those three qualities are united in the very same film (they are easy to spot, and don't come along every week).
Indie Jones
Bard's Eye View: Thanksgiving Steel Cage Showdown with the Smart Money on Fred Claus and Tracy Flick to Trounce Chev Chelios and the Wolvie/Woolfie Combo
11 November 2008 9:02 AM, PST
[Taps microphone] Hello? Testing, testing ... is this thing on? [Clears throat] Ahem. My fellow Fantaversians, I bid you all welcome to the fair and humble shores of Mogul-land. Though the much-ballyhooed presidential election is now over, the debates continue to rage. You will find no political punditry here, however; I imagine you've had your fill, having been inundated by streaming video and up-to-the-minute coverage of said election, 24/7, on every network and cable channel, for months. But I, Fantasy Moguls's very own Anderson Cooper, Wolf Blitzer and Rush Limbaugh all rolled into one, am here to fuel the debate on an issue just as ... well, nearly as important: namely, which wide-release movies are the best choices for your roster. (Grin.)
Shrykespeare
Showbiz Stock Watch: Warner Bros. Set to Win the 2008 Studio Market Share Race, but Paramount/DreamWorks On Pace For an Average of $117M Domestic Per Release!
9 November 2008 9:26 PM, PST
When Paramount/Dreamworks unleashed back-to-back-to-back $200 million-grossing titles starting with Iron Man in May, they seemed like an "iron-clad" lock to win the big studio market share battle for 2008. Then along came Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, which has rocked the nation to the tune of almost $530 million domestic. Tdk has ensured that Warner Bros. will secure its first market share title since 2005, and despite the rampaging success of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Paramount cannot catch them. There are, however, lots of ways to look at the year's box office. In terms of total domestic tickets sold, the crown goes to Warner Bros., but they have released 16 movies in 2008 compared to just 13 for Paramount/DreamWorks. So, I was curious, what is the average box office per movie for each of the so-called Big 6?
Steve Mason
Weekend Estimates: 'Madagascar' Runs Wild with Monstrous $63.5M Weekend and Likely to Set Records for DreamWorks Animation!; 'Role Models' Sets $19.25M Example; 'HSM3' Adds $9.29M; 'Soul Men' Drowned Out with Just $5.6M!
7 November 2008 10:27 PM, PST
Steve Mason is now on Facebook. Sunday 9:30 a.m. (Pacific): By the time Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa finishes its domestic run, DreamWorks will have accomplished something that Disney has never pulled off and that Pixar has never even attempted. Jeffrey Katzenberg will have released a pair $200 million-grossing animated films in the same year. The decidedly multiculti Escape 2 Africa has scored a spectacular $63.5 million opening weekend. With only Quantum of Solace (Sony) opening next week, M:E2A movie has the family audience to itself until Bolt (Disney) arrives on Nov. 21. It is very safe to project a domestic haul of $200 million-plus, and my hunch (and sources) say that it will likely surpass the $215.4 million generated by June's Kung Fu Panda. I am also sticking with $550 million-$600 million as the likely international take, and it seems like the top of the range is probable.
Steve Mason
Tip Of The Week Special Edition: I Spent My Last Dollar on 'Paul Blart' or How to Top Off the Tank for $5 or Less
6 November 2008 6:36 AM, PST
Greetings, Moguls! I'm here this week to complete the Holiday Kickoff Spectacular with a frugal look at the lower end of the price list. See, when putting together your slate, you're almost inevitably left with a few dollars and an open space. But the cheap options are rarely slam dunks, right? That's true in some cases, but not all. And yes, some choices that cost $5 or less are little more than a tossup, or a hope not to damage your slate, with little consideration to positive benefit. You can also find some screaming deals, however, at the bottom of the barrel. So whether you're looking to fill out that last spot on your slate with a few remaining dollars, or conserve funds in order to double-stack a few blockbusters, here are the 10 best $5-or-less choices for both Ultimate Movie Moguls and Box Office Moguls leagues (they might even...
Mister Informative
Final Weekend Tracking: 'Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa' Could Grab $60M Opening and $200M Domestic Overall! David Wain's 'Role Models' Targets $12.7M Opening; 'Soul Men' on Track for $10M!
5 November 2008 9:42 PM, PST
After trick-or-treating blotted out last Friday at the box office, the movie industry recovered with a strong Saturday and Sunday, and now Hollywood is gearing up for a spectacular start to the holiday movie season. Industry tracking suggests that Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (DreamWorks/Paramount) will enjoy a huge opening. Execs from three separate competing studios have told me that this one will crack $60 million by Monday morning. Some have been writing about an even bigger start for M:E2A and, although it is possible, the fact that the original 2005 film opened with a three-day take of $47 million is a bit misleading. Those were the first three days of a long four-day Memorial Day weekend, leading to an exceedingly strong Sunday.
Steve Mason
Dances With The Arthouse Special Edition: Think Small for the Holidays or 15 Things to Do in Fantasy Moguls When You're Dead
4 November 2008 11:35 PM, PST
A little break in everyday life is always welcome. Even when you have an exciting and challenging everyday life. In real life, you take a plane and fly half the way across the globe to resource yourself. In Fantasy Moguls, you may pause in your usual examination of films to take a more global view of what's cooking in the coming trimester. So prepare for a little survey on the 15 biggest, or at least most promising, arthouse films of the upcoming holiday season, from November to January.
Indie Jones
Bard's Eye View Special Edition: James Bond, Klaatu, a Talking Dog and 10 Other Weekends of Winners
4 November 2008 8:42 AM, PST
Hello once again, and welcome to this Special Edition of Bard's Eye View. This particular week on the calendar marks the launching of what is loosely dubbed the "holiday film season," where all of the studios crank out their cold-weather best in order to score either some winter green or some spring gold (as in statuettes), or both. With the possible exception of the beginning of the summer blockbuster season (the first week in May), this may be the time of the year when the Hollywood buzz is the loudest.
Shrykespeare
1-20 of 24 articles « Prev | Next »
