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

[BuddyThomas]

In reading some of the reviews of the new Ghostbusters it appears it is overstuffed with having to find time for the old and new characters alike… perhaps they should of written 2 films… one that focused the new characters… and another focusing on the original characters…that could be comedy gold… having Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd playing older grumpier versions of their characters from their first film

They also say this one is too self serious with Patton Oswald’s character being a highlight and adding a fresh of breath air… with one critic saying they would like to see a whole movie based on his character…in my mind the original Ghostbusters was always a comedy first with some great one liners

I would like to preface everything I have said is also based off a trailer… I have not seen the film yet…I may think the movie is fantastic… a trailers jobs is to tell me why I need to see this movie… the trailer felt like it was just a nostalgic play… and I am not talking about just the original actors…stuff like including the State Puff Marshmallow gag which they just did in the last movie…the trailer failed at telling me how this movie stands on it’s own

Those reviews are just not helping convince me to see this. I think I’ll be going to Late Night With the Devil this weekend.

 

[DKampy]

Those reviews are just not helping convince me to see this. I think I’ll be going to Late Night With the Devil this weekend.

I hear Late Night With The Devil is fantastic

 

[BuddyThomas]

I hear Late Night With The Devil is fantastic

I forget if someone posted the trailer or not, but in case not:

 

[celluloid]

Both movies were fun for very different styles.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire has kept the tone of the original where the last one was very much a coming of age film. Both serve as movies that compliment the source material into two films instead of same exact retread.

Aykroyd and Hudson have the most supporting cast screen time but used with purpose. And really mainly Aykroyd with exposition. Which makes sense considering bringing information to the new team and researching the new baddie.

They did not pull a Harrison Ford on us.
None of them were close to leading.
I have my critiques but glad it happened and great for a fourth installment.

I will be interested to see where Late Night With The Devil does with it's place in the box office.

Nice to have a choice of too fun movies in same weekend.

 

[brideck]

I hear Late Night With The Devil is fantastic

I made good on my threat to see both this and Madame Web today.

Shout out to @celluloid for bringing Late Night with the Devil to my attention earlier in the thread (and a general shout out to the mods for giving us some leeway to more generally geek out about movies in here regardless of whether or not they're Disney -- it's useful both for comparative purposes and just generally speaking), I probably would not have otherwise sought it out. It's a great slow-burn horror with a nice build-up to its finale. M & I are still unpacking the third act a bit.

And I didn't actually hate Madame Web like I thought I might. It is not a good movie, but that's more down to a couple of poor performances (not Dakota Johnson, by the way -- she's certainly been better, but was perfectly adequate in this) and a whole lot of ham-fisted dialogue than anything else. I think the bones for an interesting story are there, and if executed well could have served as a decent launching point for Sony to continue developing. Alas.

Also, (tongue firmly in cheek) this is how Columbia Pictures chose to honor their 100th anniversary? Ugh. Or... maybe 100th anniversaries don't actually mean anything other than Hollywood has recently hit a milestone.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

It's a great slow-burn horror with a nice build-up to its finale.

That sounds right up my alley. My only question with most horror films: is it super gory? I don’t generally enjoy those. Give me Poltergeist, Paranormal Activity, and The Exorcist all day long over any slasher or otherwise gross film. (I have to look away during the operating scenes of Doctor shows. )

 

[DKampy]

That sounds right up my alley. My only question with most horror films: is it super gory? I don’t generally enjoy those. Give me Poltergeist, Paranormal Activity, and The Exorcist all day long over any slasher or otherwise gross film. (I have to look away during the operating scenes of Doctor shows. )

Although I can sometimes watch gory/bloody movies… I do agree with you… sometimes a film is scarier in your mind as oppose to a slasher film which is just bloody…I am over the torture P**n movies as those are just how can we up the ante on how extreme can we get with the gore… my favorite type of horror is the slow burn

 

[brideck]

That sounds right up my alley. My only question with most horror films: is it super gory? I don’t generally enjoy those. Give me Poltergeist, Paranormal Activity, and The Exorcist all day long over any slasher or otherwise gross film. (I have to look away during the operating scenes of Doctor shows. )

Super gory? No. The red band trailer for In a Violent Nature that aired before the movie was probably gorier than this was as a whole. Having said that, there are a couple of moments near the end of the movie that'll probably make you squeam a bit. Nothing excessive at all, though.

 

[celluloid]

Box office reports of of early previews for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire estimates are 4.7 million.

 

[brideck]

Box office reports of of early previews for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire estimates are 4.7 million.

Both that amount and its projected opening weekend total ($43m-$45m) are essentially identical to what Afterlife did. It'll probably have to have some really good word-of-mouth to hit profitability (from BO alone).

 

[celluloid]

Both that amount and its projected opening weekend total ($43m-$45m) are essentially identical to what Afterlife did. It'll probably have to have some really good word-of-mouth to hit profitability (from BO alone).

Possibly. Audience score is way up currently at 87 percent.

 

[Disney Irish]

I saw Frozen Empire last night, I liked Afterlife better. Cast was fine, story just made some of the characters insufferable.

 

[DKampy]

I saw Frozen Empire last night, I liked Afterlife better. Cast was fine, story just made some of the characters insufferable.

Based on last nights polling it appears it may appeal to longtime Ghostbuster fans most with it’s nostalgia…it got pretty good ratings until you got to the under 25 segment were it did awful

 

[celluloid]

I saw Frozen Empire last night, I liked Afterlife better. Cast was fine, story just made some of the characters insufferable.

Review wise I would agree Afterlife is superior as it is a coming of age film that works. Not surprising as it was Jason Reitman's take on it. I also am shocked how good Gil did as I never liked Monster House but thst is prob not fair to the guy.
Tonally, this one was closer to an homage of the original in humor in certain flare.

One subplot I felt went on too far and too dimensional that got messy that I would discuss but the spoiler tag is not appearing on my mobile.

 

[Disney Irish]

Based on last nights polling it appears it may appeal to longtime Ghostbuster fans most with it’s nostalgia…it got pretty good ratings until you got to the under 25 segment were it did awful

Well I'm not under 25 lol, and saw the original in theaters.

Even from the nostalgia play, it really didn't have much beyond the brief appearances by some of the original cast. It shows why critics were harsher to this one than Afterlife. Afterlife was more of a nostalgia play for me.

I'm not sure how it'll do, but as others said probably around the same as Afterlife.

 

[Disney Irish]

Review wise I would agree Afterlife is superior as it is a coming of age film that works.
Tonally, this one was closer to an homage of the original in humor in certain flare.

One subplot I felt went on too far and too dimensional that got kessy that I would discuss but the spoiler tag is not appearing on my mobile.

The humor overall was fine, Paul Rudd for example was great as always in my opinion.

Spoiler: My main issue

The plot about Phoebe whining about being sidelined was just not needed in my opinion. They could have still gotten to the end without that whole section in my opinion. They could have still had the "will they/won't they" subplot between her and Melody. But overall it just took Phoebe from a spunky science geek to a whiny brat. Wasn't needed in my opinion.

 

[celluloid]

The humor overall was fine, Paul Rudd for example was great as always in my opinion.

Spoiler: My main issue

The plot about Phoebe whining about being sidelined was just not needed in my opinion. They could have still gotten to the end without that whole section in my opinion. They could have still had the "will they/won't they" subplot between her and Melody. But overall it just took Phoebe from a spunky science geek to a whiny brat. Wasn't needed in my opinion.

Spoiler

For me it was too much melody being a ghost having multiple strokes and xo creations with. They wanted to make a ghost a goon that is redeemed, but it was a messy subplot. Bht that is my preference His choice but Rock Moranis would have been a nuce cameo as Tully at end.

A 4/5 for me and Dan Aykroyd and balance of cast as supporting roles was impressive in it.

If a other adventure with the youngjns getting older I would love to see the four main young cast with more chemistry moments.

 

[DKampy]

Well I'm not under 25 lol, and saw the original in theaters.

Even from the nostalgia play, it really didn't have much beyond the brief appearances by some of the original cast. It shows why critics were harsher to this one than Afterlife. Afterlife was more of a nostalgia play for me.

I'm not sure how it'll do, but as others said probably around the same as Afterlife.

As someone who also is old enough to have seen the original in theaters I will find out for myself next weekend… I have a couple of movies that are more of a priority this weekend

 

[brideck]

Well I'm not under 25 lol, and saw the original in theaters.

Even from the nostalgia play, it really didn't have much beyond the brief appearances by some of the original cast. It shows why critics were harsher to this one than Afterlife. Afterlife was more of a nostalgia play for me.

That's interesting to me. There is a whole lot of the legacy cast in that trailer.

We'll hopefully find room in our dance card to check it out in a few weeks. I am not a popcorn bucket guy, but I did actually pick up the ghost trap from AMC yesterday. We plan to try using it as a novelty remote control holder in the den.

 

[celluloid]

That's interesting to me. There is a whole lot of the legacy cast in that trailer.

We'll hopefully find room in our dance card to check it out in a few weeks. I am not a popcorn bucket guy, but I did actually pick up the ghost trap from AMC yesterday. We plan to try using it as a novelty remote control holder in the den.

I got the last Regal one(they were selling their two display ones they had after mine)
Theater sold those things like hot cakes.
"The Franchise rights alone will make us rich beyond our wildest dreams."

I told myself I was not going to but caved. At least I got my Unlimited discount.


Excited for Universal announcements in the near future.