Summer 2010

[eatbrie]

One month into the Hollywood summer season, and I have to say I'm not too impressed yet with the 2010 crop.

Robin Hood, Sex and the City, Shrek 4, Prince of Persia, Letters to Juliet, MacGrubber, ALL underperformed at the box office.  Robin Hood is another costly ($200 million) failure for Universal, SATC crashed this weekend, Shrek 4 is 38% behind Shrek 3, Prince of Persia... don't get me started with white boy Gyllenhaal as a Persian prince...

So what's next?  What are you guys waiting for?  A-Team, Toy Story 3, Salt?  Me: Inception.

T

[CSM]

I agree Thierry.  Now that Iron Man is out of the way, this is shaping up to one of the least anticipated summers in recent memory.

Inception could be the saviour but we shall see...


PS: Why is M. Night Shyamalan STILL allowed to advertise his films as "A M. Night Shyamalan picture" (ala The Last Airbender)?  You'd think this would be box office poision by now?
For the record, I like most of Shyamalan's work but MANY do not.

[fallenangel1]

Im waiting for Salt and Inception .. Both have potential... possibly ..

As for the others what do you expect ... Robin Hood- Remake...Shrek- 4th sequel .. toy Story -3rd sequel ... SATC -sequel based off a 20 min comedy .. Ateam - remake of an 80's tv show ... PoP- based on a video game .. MacGruber- crap-tastic excuse for original humor .. and then Letters to Juliet which I never heard anything about so poor publicity

[CSM]

I forgot to mention, Get Him to the Greek looks like it has potential as well.  If it is close to certain other Apatowish productions I will be pleased...

[eatbrie]

Well, I HATE Russell Brand.  And I mean, HATE.  I don't find him funny in the slightest and I, for one, will pass on Greek.

[eatbrie]

PS: Why is M. Night Shyamalan STILL allowed to advertise his films as "A M. Night Shyamalan picture" (ala The Last Airbender)?  You'd think this would be box office poision by now?
For the record, I like most of Shyamalan's work but MANY do not.

My friend Barry produced 6th Sense, Unbreakable and Happening.  After multiple fights and disagreements, Night came crawling back to him to get him to produce Happening, which he did.  Night was having trouble putting the project together, especially after Lady in the Water, and went back to his source (Barry discovered him).  During production, Night was rewriting the script in Philly and sending new pages daily to Barry for brainstorming.  Barry made tons of notes, but in the end, Night did not address one.  After the movie wrapped, Night sent a bodyguard to Barry's house to make him watch the 1st cut.  Barry (reminder, he's the producer) had to watch it on the spot (no guests allowed) and give it back to the bodyguard.  Needless to say, he could not believe how bad it was.

Since then, Barry found a new buddy in Apatow (he produced Funny People and they became best friends.)  He's producing the next one with Kristen Wiig (can't remember the title).  I don't think he'll come back to Night anytime soon.  But I will ask him how Night is still allowed to put his name above the title.

T

[CSM]

Since then, Barry found a new buddy in Apatow (he produced Funny People and they became best friends.)  He's producing the next one with Kristen Wiig (can't remember the title).  I don't think he'll come back to Night anytime soon.  But I will ask him how Night is still allowed to put his name above the title.

T

Maybe it is actually part of his directorial contract?  Have all his films been released by the same studio?

[eatbrie]

No, he used to be a Disney for a while, and Nina Jacobson, then head of production, kicked him out after reading Lady in the Water.  Apparently, she did not get it.  So Night went to WB, then Fox for Happening and now Paramount.  For sure, it is a contractual thing.  Little boy wants his name above the marquee.  My question (and yours, I'm sure) is why studios still oblige.  I mean, the next Spielberg (a onetime Newsweek cover), he is not.  He is actually a really bad director, not to mention actor.  More like a one trick poney.

[Ari]

Chris:

"For the record, I like most of Shyamalan's work but MANY do not."

NOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I love you, but cripes, every time he makes a movie I think, OK ILL FORGIVE HIM, MAYBE THIS TIME, but the "twists" are SO BAD I end up wanting to die.

I SEE DEAD PEOPLE, was ok, but he has gone downhill from then.

[CSM]

Ok Ari, I am glad you still love me but maybe I should be more clear:

I like Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs (until the Aliens turn out to be real! - it was a great work of paranoia up to then) and even (blasphemy?) The Village

So what's that, 1/2 his work?  Maybe using "most" was not appropriate...

I will agree that the "twists" have gotten progressively worse

 

[brude]

I hate to be a critic, but all of his films seem like they would've been more enjoyable as episodic TV, a la TWILIGHT ZONE.  I am hoping THE LAST AIRBENDER is his 'evolution' as a filmmaker.  Bigger, badder and worthy of the run time.

[supraman079]

Of Shyamalan's movies I really enjoyed The Sixth Sense and Signs. The aliens being real didn't bother me at all. I don't personally believe in aliens but I can suspend belief if the film is good. My personal belief doesn't not interfere with my experience watching Alien or Aliens. Both good movies and done by some kick ass directors. Besides Signs really isn't about aliens. Yes, they are in the movie, but it really is about a man who had faith and lost it and his journey to regain that faith.

Unbreakable was ok, I just felt it could have been executed better. The Village was the beginning of the downward spiral in m opinion. I think he's gotten worse with each film. I remember sitting down in the theater and telling a friend of mine right as The Village was just starting how shitty it would be if it turned out the way it actually turns out at the end of the film. I won't discuss it just incase someone hasn't seen it, but it's not like you couldn't see it coming. I assured my friend that it would be a better movie than that because M. Night wouldn't do that to us. How wrong was I. And how wrong I have been ever since. I felt everyone is entitled to have a bad movie or two throughout their career. If you are pushing the envelope and trying new things then you will probably fail at some point. With this I decided to go and see Lady in the Water. Well after I walked out of that theater I decided I wouldn't watch another of his films in the theater and I would just wait for cable or dvd/blu-ray. I saw The Happening on HD cable and I have decided that M. Night is not responsible with studio money. That was the biggest piece I have ever seen. Right up there with Indy 4.

I think M. Night's problem is that he is coming from the Eastern Indian point of view with many of his stories and they don't always translate very well to an American audience. He's just not skilled enough to make it work all the time. Most of his box office comes from his name alone these days. He got 12.5 million if I remember correctly to write and direct The Village. He's making too much money and getting to play with too much money to be turning such shitty films one after the other.

[Ari]

the village "twist" was so damn annoying, worst thing since (by another film maker) Boxing Helena. I dont think its anything to do with culture, its just juvinile writing.

[eatbrie]

Early BO estimates...

1 - Karate Kid: $55 million
2 - A-Team: $25 million

80s nostalgia at its best.  Comments?

[fallenangel1]

I just saw the A_team .. And was pleasantly surprised .. Its not as bad as I was expecting ..LOL .. But I was going in with low expectations .. I think they stuck true to the original characters but brought it to modern day .. It seems like most of these remake/reboots are setting up for sequels too .. (ie.. Robin Hood.. Now A-Team .. )

So .. In short its fun if you were into the TV show .. If not I think you will find it lacking in a lot of areas..

[stewart boyle]

Great to hear A-Team has been half decent,i had the same sort of feelings with Dukes Of Hazard remake,
 Not a movie i would recommend to anyone,but just sometimes you find yourself chuckling out loud.

 Stew

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

Entertainment Weekly has a great article this week: "What's Wrong With This Summer's Movies?"  It totally trashes the Hollywood movie mindset - making lowest common denominator movies for the masses, especially pointless sequels (Shrek 4) and remakes.  It predicts it will be impossible for the Academy Award to nominate top 10 movies worthy of a best picture Oscar.

I totally agree with its bottom-line analysis: the best TV shows (Lost, Glee, 30 Rock, Modern Family, etc.) for the last several years have been vastly superior to most of the prominent Hollywood movies.

[Bruce]

It's all in the writing Mel. The best writers write for TV and avoid Hollywood like the plague.

Bruce

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

Another good article in NY Times today

The industry is hoping Toy Story 3 will end the malaise.

"Save us, Buzz Lightyear.  Grumpy moviegoers have left the film business trying to dig itself out of a summer slump after a series of big-budget disappointments and the lack of a single blockbuster comedy...."

By the way Thierry and wife - the EW article did acknowledge "How To Train Your Dragon" as an exception to this year's slump.  Metacritic has given it the highest rating (74) of this year's wide-release movies.

[scartacus]

"The best writers write for TV and avoid Hollywood like the plague."

I'd say it's more a case of the best writers not being able to set up quality/intelligent projects at the studios rather than them purposefully turning their backs on the studio system and opting for tv. 

Given the choice, A list writers would want to see their passion projects brought to life as movies but the studios have become so risk-averse that they hardly ever develop single movie stories anymore. ie every movie project has to at least have the potential of becoming a franchise, which has got to stifle the quality and range of stories being told. If Peter Weir walked onto the Paramount lot with Witness today, could he get it made? Would Chinatown get the greenlight?

Many people blame Spielberg and Lucas for this blockbuster, franchise-only mentality, but some of Spielberg's best movies have been non-franchise movies -- ie Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan.
   
But it is absolutely true that the best produced writing over the last few years has been on TV -- Mad Men, Sopranos, the Wire etc. All of these shows are essentially dramas of one kind of another, which showcase nuanced intelligent writing. Conversely, drama as a genre is a studio's least favourite choice and it is nigh impossible to set up a drama project as a movie...unless Spielberg wants to direct it. Apart from dramas, which other movies do people think we are missing out on?Is the problem that all these popcorn movies are bad or that we want something completely different?  ie a return to the director-driven film making of the 70s. ?

[fallenangel1]

Dont forget shows like .. Sons of Anarchy .. Breaking Bad .. and others that unfortunately didnt make the cut .. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip .. theres more Im sure but I cant recall all of the great shows Ive seen come and go over the past few years ..

[eatbrie]

"The best writers write for TV and avoid Hollywood like the plague."

I'd say it's more a case of the best writers not being able to set up quality/intelligent projects at the studios rather than them purposefully turning their backs on the studio system and opting for tv. 

Thanks for that.  I read Bruce's comment and wanted to answer something but couldn't muster the strength to do so.  Your comment is exactly right.  There are plenty of amazing scripts floating around town, but 99% will never get made because 1) they are dramas and TV does it better and 2) they fall in the 10-50 million budget, too expensive to be independent, too cheap to be a tentpole and a big studio picture.  These scripts died with the 80s.  A friend of mine is a lead writer for NCIS.  He is not a great writer, but he writes fast, which is what TV needs most.

T

[Dread_Pirate_Mel]

Not just dramas, it's comedies too.  Have you seen the ads for "Grown Up"?  Five guys peeing in a pool? Is that the best Hollywood can do?  Lowest common denominator crap.

Just about every episode of 30 Rock, Modern Family, etc. is better than 99% of the comedy movies that have come out lately.

[eatbrie]

Ouch, Tom Cruise, no more couch jumping for a while.

Knight and Day opened at $3.8 million, sandwitched between Toy Story 3, which made another $13.4 million in its 7th day of release, and Karate Kid's $3 million, in its 14th day of release.

The end of an era.  I'm sure box office poison Diaz didn't help.  Maybe she should plead Katzenberg for another Shrek, or anything where she doesn't have to show her ugly mug.

T

[scartacus]

I agree Thierry. It is the end of the era. The studios need to rip up their playbook and try something else. I don't know how much they paid for Diaz and Cruise' salaries on Night and Day, but the money was invested on the basis that these two big stars could open the movie...3.8 mill???