Black Zodiac Moan
So Ghost Rider rode high for another week, beating out The Number 23 (my review here), but the real news, of course, is that Scorsese is an Oscar winner, restoring balance to The Force.
3/2
Wide
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Middle-Aged Rider
WILL IT SUCK?
This actually looks pretty good. Director did the underrated (or so I’m told) Van Wilder and the writer’s done his fare share of Arrested Development. Travolta, Lawrence, Allen and Macy look like they’ll work surprisingly well together. Keep an eye out for cameos by Kyle Gass and Drew Pinsky.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Will pretty much own the comedy spotlight and pool the admittedly diminished followings of its leads. $75mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
The story of the Zodiac Killer, as told by David Fincher.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is gooood and why not? Well, because sometimes David Fincher makes The Game or Panic Room or Alien 3 which, while not sucking (okay, maybe Alien 3 sucked) aren’t Fight Club or Se7en.
Cast looks awesome, too, with Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Robert Downey Jr., Brian Cox, Chloe Sevigny, Elias Koteas, Dermot Mulroney, Donal Logue, Philip Baker Hall, John Mahoney, Adam Goldberg and James LeGros.
The writer did the surprisingly good The Rundown and the unsurprisingly bad Basic and Darkness Falls.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
The only problem is that this film is out for one week before 300 obliterates everything in its path. $43mil.
(Moved from February)
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Sam Jackson chains up Christina Ricci in his shack. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. About fucking time.
WILL IT SUCK?
It’s kind of hard to tell just how seriously writer/director Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) wants us to take his latest opus. There’s the over-the-top grindhouse style posters, the tounge-in-cheek trailer, oh, and it’s about a guy who chains up a woman to cure her of her nymphomania/drug addiction (and, to play the race card, a black man chaining up a white woman in…wait for it…the deep South).
That having been said, the early buzz is good, with critics suggesting that if you can get past the premise, it’s quite entertaining (which, arguably, could be said of Hustle & Flow).
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Not exactly a date movie. $23mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Every lie the new kid in school tells becomes true.
WILL IT SUCK?
From the writers behind Rebound. Yes, it took more than one person to write that. Very preliminary buzz is actually good.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
If New Line lies about the grosses, will that come true? $14mil.
Limited
(Moved from December)
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Four siblings get stuck together when they arrive to say goodbye to their ailing mother. Guess for how long.
WILL IT SUCK?
Sally Field plays the dying mom. Tom Cavanaugh is one of ths siblings. Early buzz is mixed, with audiences liking it way more than critics.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
My guess is, people will stay home and get their Sally Field fix on Brothers & Sisters. $1mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Artsy coming-of-age story.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed with critics more in favor than lukewarm audiences.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Will be overshadowed by The Namesake the following week. $500,000.
Next Week: The last time anyone will call Zack Snyder “that guy who did the Dawn of the Dead remake.”