Meet the Lookout
300’s run couldn’t last forever, and it’s just as well that animated turtles took it down, even if it did cause Harvey Weinstein to utter the phrase, “It’s sequel time, dudes.” The only flick I overestimated was Reign Over Me, which will take in about half of what I figured.
3/30
Wide
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Genius kid travels to the future to save his family or something.
WILL IT SUCK?
The second non-Pixar CG animated Disney flick, although they did get “additional story material” from Monsters, Inc. and Cars contributor Daniel Gerson. The main writer used to scribe Will & Grace, so I’m curious. Early buzz is good.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Not much competition, but I can see things like TMNT from the week before or Are We Done Yet? from the week after nipping at its heels. $73mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Will Ferrell and Jon Heder as figure skaters.
WILL IT SUCK?
My review comes out Friday, but I can tell you now that it’s pretty much on a par with most Ferrell flicks. I’d rate it just below Talladega Nights.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Are We Done Yet? is a little bit of an issue the following week, but Will Ferrell can take Ice Cube. $80mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Kind of like Underworld without the vampires. Or 1/12 the budget.
WILL IT SUCK?
From the director of Jason X. Wait. Where are you going?
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
With Grindhouse coming out the following weekend, I’m thinking this will go the way of Blood and Chocolate. $4mil.
Limited
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Guy gets more than he bargained for when he agrees to attend a wedding with a potential business partner.
WILL IT SUCK?
After seeing Mads Mikkelsen in Casino Royale, I’m curious to see if he can do more than bleed out his eye and pummel Daniel Craig in the ball sack. International kudos and a slot alongside the other Best Foreign Film nominees this year indicate the answer to that question is “yes.”
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
My guess is most audiences are content with the eye-bleed ball sack thing. $1mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Bottle Rocket in New Hampshire.
WILL IT SUCK?
I’m just trying to get over the fact that in one year we’re going to have a movie called Live Free or Die and a movie called Live Free or Die Hard. Early buzz is mixed with critics trashing it while audiences seem amused and SXSW and Seattle give it awards. Written and directed by two former Seinfeld writers with the likes of Judah Friedlander, Aaron Stanford, Michael Rapaport, Kevin Dunn, Zooey Deschanel and Kim Director in the ensemble.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Better on DVD. $500,000.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Caper with Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a mentally handicapped janitor at a bank.
WILL IT SUCK?
After Out of Sight and Minority Report, screenwriter Scott Frank is my boy (we’ll ignore Heaven’s Prisoners) and here he directs as well. Also a big Levitt fan, and curious to see if Isla Fisher can deliver on the promise of Wedding Crashers. Early buzz is very good.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
If it can capitalize on the success of Brick, okay. $2mil.
Next Week: And you thought 300 was a hard R.