Disney (and others) at the Box Office - Current State of Affairs

[TP2000]

w00t, I've been ahead of the times, as I don't think I've watched the Oscars since Nick Cage won for Leaving Las Vegas, but the AKC show is must see TV.

I used to watch the Oscars religiously in the 20th century. In my community, it was like the Super Bowl and New Year's Eve all rolled together. We planned outfits and menus and guest lists weeks in advance. But now? No one cares any more. They ruined it by getting insufferably political and snotty.

Oh, and Wynn Buffet > Bacchanal, but only just.

Have you been to the new Bacchanal? They redid it all last year, and it's beautiful. Plus the food quality took another notch upward, as the top buffets are really upping their culinary game lately. I've only stayed at the Wynn once with friends who insisted we go, and do remember their buffet being very good. But overall, I'm a Ceasars Palace guy. The sheer drama of pulling up to that porte cochere gets me every time. Every. Single. Time. It's the only way a mere mortal can feel like a God.

 

[ABQ]

I used to watch the Oscars religiously in the 20th century. In my community, it was like the Super Bowl and New Year's Eve all rolled together. We planned outfits and menus and guest lists weeks in advance. But now? No one cares any more. They ruined it by getting insufferably political and snotty.



Have you been to the new Bacchanal? They redid it all last year, and it's beautiful. Plus the food quality took another notch upward, as the top buffets are really upping their culinary game lately. I've only stayed at the Wynn once with friends who insisted we go, and do remember their buffet being very good. But overall, I'm a Ceasars Palace guy. The sheer drama of pulling up to that porte cochere gets me every time. Every. Single. Time. It's the only way a mere mortal can feel like a God.

OK, I'll have to try Bacchanal once again. Would have been this past October, but F1's presence caused us to skip this year, unsure when I'll be back as that debacle intruded on the strip for months. I do like to gamble at Caesar's and the GF loves the Forum Shoppes and Sushi Roku.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I saw The Holdovers( it’s good)and I do not see how that is experimental especially when compared to the works of Yorgos Lanthimos… I have yet to see Poor Things… I look forward to once it opens in a theater near me… but I am going by his previous works

It’s hysterical that someone on here thinks Alexander Payne makes experimental movies. I have seen pretty much all of them and they are all linear stories told in a very straightforward manner. They’re all really good but there is absolutely nothing experimental about them.

 

[celluloid]

Well maybe some do not think the brand is damage…so yes that is an opposing view

Personally I do think the brand is damaged, but I am of the opinion that certain YouTubers have done more damage than I originally thought… I usually end up seeing most films as I go to the ptheater at least once(usually multiple times) a week …What I miss I catch on streaming or a rental and personally I don’t see how Disney is truly awful when compared to other studios…To use one studio as an example… Universal… I did not think Mario Brothers or Freddy were good… despite their success…I did like Oppenheimer and M3gan well enough though… With Disney I enjoyed The Marvels, Elemental, Guardians, the Little Mermaid… I did not enjoy The Haunted Mansion or Antman…All film is subjective.. but to me Disney itself did not damage the brand itself…I was hoping this would not be the case… but it seems more people are listening to those loud YouTuber… my proof is the amount of posters that repeat their talking points and complain about Disney films without watching

The cause of the damage is irrelevant to the fact that the brand is damaged. To deny fact would be silly when the company admits it and professional agency says trust in brand is down.

And for extremists who refuse to watch it when they used to, they may not be willing at all to give a film a chance, but that is still brand perception and damage.

 

[celluloid]

It’s hysterical that someone on here thinks Alexander Payne makes experimental movies. I have seen pretty much all of them and they are all linear stories told in a very straightforward manner. They’re all really good but there is absolutely nothing experimental about them.

https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/11/03/alexander-payne-the-holdovers-film-massachusetts

Nothing at all, unless you are having an agenda and refuse to read.

 

[BuddyThomas]

https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/11/03/alexander-payne-the-holdovers-film-massachusetts

Nothing at all, unless you are having an agenda and refuse to read.

So you posted an article that does NOT say his films are experimental. Got it. Did you even see any of them?? Maybe you think Election is experimental because it has a lesbian character in it.

 

[celluloid]

So you posted an article that does NOT say his films are experimental. Got it. Did you even see any of them?? Maybe you think Election is experimental because it has a lesbian character in it.

There you go insinuating what someone else must think again.
I think a lot of people here have personal angst that Disney is not currently successful and displace it.

 

[BuddyThomas]

There you go insinuating what someone else must think again.
I think a lot of people here have personal angst that Disney is not currently successful and displace it.

The question is why did you post an article about Payne that doesn’t mention his films being at all experimental when you were snarkily trying to prove that they are.

 

[celluloid]

The question is why did you post an article about Payne that doesn’t mention his films being at all experimental when you were snarkily trying to prove that they are.

How are your inference skills? I ask because does it have to say the word experiment throughout? The article mentions his different techniques and about hiring non actors for acting level roles. Taking risks and changing techniques. It may not be as experimental as you like, but it is valid.

 

[_caleb]

"Brand damage" is an unhelpful term to throw around, because it's intangible. Marketing experts love to use this as a metric to prove the value of their services, but when it comes down to it, audiences are fickle, uninformed, and have a tendency to project their values on the companies they do business with.

Disney films aren't doing great at the box office. The company has become the boogyman of leftward social agenda. Star Wars fans are angry. Disney vacations are too expensive. But also, Disney has successfully fostered a word of mouth network that results in deep engagement among loyal fans across a variety of demographics. More people subscribe to D+ than any other streaming service, and they've produced some of the most successful series in hi. Disney Cruise Lines are the best reviewed. Park revenue is up. Disney-owned ABC news is America's most trusted network news.

A not-insignificant portion of Disney's customers don't know a Pixar from Illuminations. They spend thousands on Disney vacations every year, and spend the rest of the year complaining about it while also designing personalized t-shirts for next year's weeklong visit.

And we spend hours and hours here discussing it all.

It makes no sense to argue whether or not the brand is damaged because across its audiences and businesses, it's always irrevocably damaged and immune from damage at the same time.

 

[celluloid]

"Brand damage" is an unhelpful term to throw around, because it's intangible. Marketing experts love to use this as a metric to prove the value of their services, but when it comes down to it, audiences are fickle, uninformed, and have a tendency to project their values on the companies they do business with.

Disney films aren't doing great at the box office. The company has become the boogyman of leftward social agenda. Star Wars fans are angry. Disney vacations are too expensive. But also, Disney has successfully fostered a word of mouth network that results in deep engagement among loyal fans across a variety of demographics. More people subscribe to D+ than any other streaming service, and they've produced some of the most successful series in hi. Disney Cruise Lines are the best reviewed. Park revenue is up. Disney-owned ABC news is America's most trusted network news.

A not-insignificant portion of Disney's customers don't know a Pixar from Illuminations. They spend thousands on Disney vacations every year, and spend the rest of the year complaining about it while also designing personalized t-shirts for next year's weeklong visit.

And we spend hours and hours here discussing it all.

It makes no sense to argue whether or not the brand is damaged because across its audiences and businesses, it's always irrevocably damaged and immune from damage at the same time.

No one is immune.
What you are saying here speaks to awareness vs relevance. The term relevance would be what makes it THE top or only relevant choice for most people. It is what business ultimately wants and Disney was without a doubt the brand relevance status in their category for a long time. You also throw in what would be called line extensions. For a long time Disney was this for animated, family films and theme parks. This has certainly changed and is tangible in data.

Not trying to be condescending. When one brings up marketing justifying it's existence, it's very much a solid need in all business, whether they are to blame or are picking up the pieces.

 

[BuddyThomas]

How are your inference skills? I ask because does it have to say the word experiment throughout? The article mentions his different techniques and about hiring non actors for acting level roles. Taking risks and changing techniques. It may not be as experimental as you like, but it is valid.

How are my “inference skills”??????? None of what you just mentioned is experimental, and thanks for the usual snark, as totally expected.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Speaking of independent movies, I saw Saltburn tonight. It is excellent. Apparently it will be streaming on Amazon Prime on December 22. I highly recommend this. Very "Talented Mr. Ripley" vibes throughout. A wild piece of absolute insanity. And no, this one is not "experimental" either. It is a crafty story, told in linear fashion, straightforward and easy to follow.

 

[celluloid]

How are my “inference skills”??????? None of what you just mentioned is experimental, and thanks for the usual snark, as totally expected.

Fair enough. I will check myself. I think I serve what seems common on the table here, but you bring to light a good point that does not make it right.
I get you don't find that director avant garde compared to the contemporary.

 

[DKampy]

Speaking of independent movies, I saw Saltburn tonight. It is excellent. Apparently it will be streaming on Amazon Prime on December 22. I highly recommend this. Very "Talented Mr. Ripley" vibes throughout. A wild piece of absolute insanity. And no, this one is not "experimental" either. It is a crafty story, told in linear fashion, straightforward and easy to follow.

Yes I am very much looking forward to watching Saltburn… I thought Promising Young Woman was great…it has not played anywhere near me… so it looks like I will have to wait for December 22

 

[Communicora]

The screen counts are on the graphic. I saw it, it was obvious because it was so low. It's what made me Google the budget for Poor Things, because I'd never heard of that movie and had no idea what was going on with it. It just looked odd, with the low screen count and "Searchlight" next to it.

When does Poor Things show up in St. George, Utah? I can't find anything on Fandango for it.

@TP2000 It's showing at pretty much every multiplex here in MN, so I imagine you will be getting it soon.

You would probably like The Favourite -- another film the director made with Emma Stone.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Yes I am very much looking forward to watching Saltburn… I thought Promising Young Woman was great…it has not played anywhere near me… so it looks like I will have to wait for December 22

Try not to read a single thing about it until you see it. I look forward to hearing what you think.

 

[BuddyThomas]

In case it has not already been reported. Aquaman is at 38% positive on the tomatoes. I find it interesting that all the people who were gloating about the Marvels failure are pretty silent about this.

 

[LittleBuford]

In case it has not already been reported. Aquaman is at 38% positive on the tomatoes. I find it interesting that all the people who were gloating about the Marvels failure are pretty silent about this.

The response you’ll get is that this is thread about Disney’s box-office performance. Of course, that unwillingness to talk about other studios goes out the window in cases where the comparison can be used to paint Disney in a bad light.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I posted this in the Broadway thread that maybe 3 people read per year, but I thought it would be interesting to the box office prognosticators here. The fact that the average Broadway goer makes more than $250,000 a year is insane to me, but I guess that is why a sippy cup of wine costs $40.00. Grrrrrrrr:

Story of the Week: The Average Broadway Theatergoer Earns a Household Income of $271,277 a Year - TheaterMania.com

The Broadway League has released its annual demographics report.

www.theatermania.com