Jack Black vs. Sandra Bullock

So Eddie can’t even open a family comedy anymore.  And, to correct last week’s entry, Hangover actually won that weekend (once the final tallies were in), not to mention this one, too.

6/19

Wide

YEAR ONE

WHAT’S THE PITCH?
History of the World: Part Two

WILL IT SUCK?
As a writer/director, Harold Ramis has turned in some classic work (Groundhog Day, Caddyshack), but not all the time (Club Paradise), but he’s co-writing with some Office alums here, so here’s hoping.  Nice cast: Jack Black, Michael Cera, Oliver Platt, David Cross, Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin’), Vinnie Jones, Hank Azaria, Olivia Wilde and Xander Berkeley.  Oh, and since it’s one in four comedies, Judd Apatow is producing.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Nicely distanced from Land of the Lost and probably only a little competition from The Proposal.  $56mil.

THE PROPOSAL

WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Ryan Reynolds has to marry his boss (Sandra Bullock) so she won’t get deported to Canada and their terrible, terrible health care system.

WILL IT SUCK?
From Step Up and 27 Dresses director Anne Fletcher.  Now, I heard 27 Dresses wasn’t all that bad, but this is still probably not going to do it for me.

Early buzz is of the predictable-but-good variety.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Betty White feeling up Sandra Bullock never fails to get a laugh whenever I’ve seen audiences react to the trailer.  It’s the new rapping granny.  $70mil.

Limited

WHATEVER WORKS

WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Movie

WILL IT SUCK?
The latest from Woody Allen.  Seems a natural fit to match him and Larry David.  Reactions have been very mixed, from the IMDb, where it’s rated as his best. flick. ever. to RottenTomatoes where critics are yawning at yet another older-misanthrope-gets-it-on-with-shockingly-young-ingenue (Evan Rachel Wood, in this case) story.  Nice cast, tho: Ed Begley Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Michael McKeon.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
I think more people will come out for the David than the Allen, but they’ll come out.  $6mil.

DEAD SNOW

WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Nazi zombies.  Angry, frozen, Nazi zombies.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is pretty good.  Made a big splatter at Sundance.  You gotta love any trailer that (a) quotes Temple of Doom and (b) has the tag line “Ein! Zwei! Die!”

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Horror/comedy very rarely works in indieville.  For every Shaun of the Dead there’s a Fido, Severance and Black Sheep.  $1mil.

$9.99

WHAT’S THE PITCH?
The short stories of Etgar Keret put together into an ensemble drama…oh, and rendered by stop-motion puppets.

WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good.  Kudos at the Mexico City film fest and an Annie nod.  Keret, who co-adapted the screenplay with the director, Tatia Rosenthal, also wrote the woefully underseen Wristcutters: A Love Story.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Not high profile enough for the competition.  $500,000.

Next Week: Apparently, they’ve made another Transformers movie.  You heard it here first.