Will Ferrell vs. Ed Helms
Up gives Pixar its third best open ever after The Incredibles
6/5
Wide
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Will Ferrell is transported to a previously obscure part of my childhood.
WILL IT SUCK?
After the underrated Lemony Snicket’s, I’m willing to give director Brad Siberling the benefit of the doubt. Having a writer from Entourage on board doesn’t hurt, but I’m not as confident in his SNL alum co-writer.
Nice to see Pushing Daisies’ Anna Friel get some work, tho.
Oh, and in a useless piece of trivia, in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Will Ferrell played a character named Marshall Willenholly, a play on the Land of the Lost’s theme song lyrics, “Marshall, Will and Holly…”
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
2nd frame of Up is a little bit of an issue, and Ferrell doesn’t pack ‘em in like he used to. $101mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Guys wake up from a seriously effed-up bachelor party and try to figure out how they got a tiger and a baby in their room, among other things.
WILL IT SUCK?
Much as I love Todd Philips work (School for Scoundrels notwithstanding) his direction is no match for the suckage that is the writing team that gave us Rebound, Four Christmases and the recently lamented Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. Which is too bad, since I kind of like the casting: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Heather Graham, Jeffrey Tambor, Ken Jeong, Justin Bartha and Rob Riggle.
That having been said, early buzz is actually pretty good.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
I think the lesser-known cast is a bigger issue than any outside competition. On the other hand, better than expected buzz and stronger than expected marketing might create some adult counter-programming to Lost. $56mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
How That Chick From “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” Got Her Groove Back
WILL IT SUCK?
Helmed by How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days director Donald Petrie which is not encouraging but written by longtime Simpsons scribe Mike Reiss which is. Early buzz is not so good.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
No direct competition, but Wedding is not an easily repeatable success. $40mil.
Limited
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Road movie with Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski as a couple about to have a baby looking for a place to raise it.
WILL IT SUCK?
Very curious to see what “I usually make gorgeous pictures” Sam Mendes does with a decidedly lo-fi, scrappy indie look. Also curious to see if Krasinski can play something other than Jim. Also curious to see what Dave Eggers’ (co-writing with wife Vendela Vida) screenwriting chops are like (especially given that he penned the upcoming Spike Jonze Where the Wild Things Are adaptation). So you could say I was curious.
Early buzz has this as uneven at best.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
High profile indies Food, Inc. and Moon come out next week, but this should still do okay. $8mil.
Next Week: Hey, you know what movie doesn’t need to be remade? Yeah, that one you just remade.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Sooo I’m not the most consistent commenter (read: lurker) but I had to say this:
The Hangover is the funniest movie I’ve seen in the theater since Austin Powers 2 (before Meyers suffocated the funny out of it).
From the beginning to the end I laughed my arse off. And while that might reveal more about my maturity than the quality of the movie I have to say that I rarely laugh in a movie, let alone tear up from it. Years from now I’ll probably wince when I re-read this comment, but while I still have my appreciation for humor worthy of a Jr High boys locker room I want to give The Hangover the endorsement it deserves. Two thumbs up.
July 20th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
[...] and Hangover is now the highest grossing R-rated comedy of all time. My prediction of a $56 million gross was probably a little [...]