The Kingdom Plan
3:10 to Yuma with Russell Crowe opens to $15mil. The Brave One with Jodie Foster opens to $14mil. Resident Evil: Extinction with Milla Jovovich and a shitload of zombies opens to $24mil. The lesson here is that it’s time to make a zombie Russell Crowe/Jodie Foster vehicle.
Meanwhile, in indieville, the movie that Sean Penn directed outperforms the movie that stars Brad Pitt. What an age we live in.
9/28
Wide
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Can you smell what the Rock is cooking…for the little girl he suddenly has to take care of?
WILL IT SUCK?
If it weren’t enough that this director is reteaming with The Rock (clearly looking to make those Ice Cube family dollars with this film) to do a Witch Mountain remake, he’s also remaking Fame (presumably not with The Rock, though that would be awesome). As for this film, I’m getting more of a Pacifier than a Mr. Mom vibe.
There is at least one good early review.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Seeker will target a not altogether different family audience the following week. $37mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Maybe when he makes that King Kamehameha movie.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Jamie Foxx takes his FBI team to Saudi Arabia to investigate a terrorist attack.
WILL IT SUCK?
Certainly not, though there’ll be plenty of people who claim (perhaps accurately) that it oversimplifies a complex conflict. But I loved it.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
The Heartbreak Kid which, strangely, will have a similar demo might be an issue next week, but I think audiences are just now becoming prepared for some brutal depictions of life in the Middle East. $76mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Depending upon the reception of this and other Middle East/Iraq flicks this fall, you could see director Peter Berg getting some love along with screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan, and maybe a Supporting nod for Ashraf Barhom as the Saudi colonel who assists the team.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Ensemble romantic comedy.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is sort of, well, harmless. Robert Benton is a more-than-decent director and the screenwriter did the recently critically acclaimed Resurrecting the Champ, so it’s got a shot. I’m not exactly lining up for Greg Kinnear, Selma Blair, Morgan Freeman, Missi Pyle, Radha Mitchell and Fred Ward (but I’m not running away, either).
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Heartbreak Kid is going to be a problem. But a bigger problem is that no one has heard of this. $23mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
“Harmless” movies usually only get nods if they make bank.
Limited
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Sex and intrigue in 1940’s Shanghai.
WILL IT SUCK?
First off, let’s get this straight. Ang Lee is a hella-filmmaker. I’ll watch almost anything he makes (even The Hulk). And here he’s re-teamed with his frequent writer/producer James Schamus and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon co-writer Hui-Ling Wang. And we get to see how he works with Wong Kar-Wai player Tony Leung. Bottom line, this is one of the most-anticipated indie releases of the fall.
Early buzz is good, but my favorite pull quote comes from Variety’s negative review: “Too much caution and too little lust.”
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
NC-17 and a lack of stars will be serious impediments, not to mention opening against Wes Anderson. $8mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
You bet your sweet bippy. Look for screenplay, director, foreign language and maybe some love for Leung, Joan Chen and newcomer Tang Wei in the sexy, sexy lead.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Wes Anderson goes to India
WILL IT SUCK?
It’s Wes Anderson. ’nuff said. Interested to see what happens when he co-writes with Roman Coppola and Jason Schwarztman, though.
Early buzz is very mixed.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Heavy competition coming next week with Michael Clayton and Grace Is Gone, and I’m not sure why he’s releasing on a Saturday, but this should hold its own. $25mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
With Wes, I feel it’s always a possibility, though it’s only happened once before (a screenplay nod for Tenenbaums).
Next Week: The Return of John Cusack