Spirited News & Observations II -- NGE/Baxter

[PhotoDave219]

I just saw Oz and it is better than I thought it would have been, though of course far from perfect. If you do go see it, make sure it's in 3D.

I'll give you that; its a visually stunning masterpiece in the land that was created. Its pretty to look at, its just that the acting & story detracted from it so much.

 

[PalisadesPkteer]

I'll give you that; its a visually stunning masterpiece in the land that was created. Its pretty to look at, its just that the acting & story detracted from it so much.

The above opinion is what I think about Avatar. Pretty to look at, but story and acting was not that great.

 

[Witchy Chick]

Just watched an interesting interview with Joe Mason, the author of a book called 'Bankrupt at Birth' ... it's all about how child identity theft (yes, you read that right) is on the rise and what a problem it is becoming.

Again, much of this is due to the tech explosion and needing to give your child's social security numbers via computers/IT for all sorts of things that are supposed to protect said child.

Made me interested in buying the book.

I think the only place I've ever provided my kids' SSNs has been to open their bank accounts. Standard forms for them (and even me) asking for SSN (i.e. routine physical at my doc's; do you need my SSN for??) I only provide last 4. It's a good "habit" to get into for those concerned with ID theft.

If my doc can't bill my insurance appropriately just off my policy number, they clearly are not bright enough to be having access to my SSN as well.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I wasn't exaggerating my criticisms. James Franco's acting was flat and rather unbelievable for a fast-talking carnival magician.

http://www.npr.org/2013/03/07/173732839/oz-neither-great-nor-powerful

It's not that Franco is bad. He doesn't risk enough to be bad. My guess is that with all his stammers and shrugs opposite actors playing it straight, he's trying to be a cowardly hipster, like Bob Hope in the Road pictures — or Woody Allen, who actually cited Hope as an inspiration, in Sleeper.

But Franco doesn't have the jokes. He's playing a noncommittal character in a noncommittal way, so that he sort of floats above the role. You want to yell, "This isn't a performance-art project! You're carrying a movie!"

 

[alphac2005]

How does an $80 million dollar opening weekend "pay off" a production budget of $215 million?

I used to be in the industry and the box office numbers were something basically kept to the industry dailies along with the obvious internal data coming across desks each morning. Now, people handicap movies based on ticket numbers. Let alone the fact that most have no clue how it actually all works, how the revenue is divided, and what the studios are actually making on a picture. It's just annoying to always hear the chatter of what a darn film is making.

As for the above, in the past, an opening that high would have a great trajectory because the week to week falloff wouldn't be nearly as high as it is today, but the film cycle is shorter*. International numbers will be interesting, but people don't seem to understand that if a film even makes twice the amount as domestic, which is actually U.S. and Canada, the margins on INTL are much smaller after all the pieces of the pie being distributed. But who am I to say? The armchair quarterbacks that never had anything to do with the business know everything online today.

* - It should be noted that Horn at Disney still doesn't believe in the shorter theater to Blu-ray/DVD market. We'll see if that changes over time.

 

[Bolna]

International numbers will be interesting, but people don't seem to understand that if a film even makes twice the amount as domestic, which is actually U.S. and Canada, the margins on INTL are much smaller after all the pieces of the pie being distributed.

International number will indeed be interesting. While Oz might be a household term in the US, here in Germany a lot of people don't have a clue what it is as the Wizard of Oz is not well known here at all. I first heard about it as a teenager from some American friends and until this day have never seen the film. So at least here - and possibly in quite a few other countries - the film can't rely on people going to see the new film because of that nostalgia factor and the curiosity of what they did with something people loved in their childhood.

 

[thehowiet]

I wasn't exaggerating my criticisms. James Franco's acting was flat and rather unbelievable for a fast-talking carnival magician.

Uh...OK...Notice I said "in my opinion." In my opinion, many of the criticisms are exaggerated. Clearly you're more than welcome to have your own.

 

[GoofGoof]

I'll give you that; its a visually stunning masterpiece in the land that was created. Its pretty to look at, its just that the acting & story detracted from it so much.

The above opinion is what I think about Avatar. Pretty to look at, but story and acting was not that great.

Haven't seen Oz yet, but I agree that your opinion exactly described my feelings on Avatar.

 

[xdan0920]

How does an $80 million dollar opening weekend "pay off" a production budget of $215 million?

Well, if they pulled the movie from theaters today, it wouldn't. But with a huge Saturday jump, and a solid B+ cinema score. The road ahead looks fairly bright. Add to that the fact that their is no family film competition this week and weekend, it looks like it will have a great hold. All signs are pointing to this gamble paying off. Oz had the 3rd biggest March opening of all time. And launched to 150 mil worldwide.

I don't like Iger's tent pole/franchises only strategy. But, in this case, they have a winner.

 

[TarzanRocked99-]

First numbers are in and it's looking like $80mil domestic for the weekend. I imagine the suits are relatively pleased with that. I am interested to see how it did abroad.

 

[Next Big Thing]

First numbers are in and it's looking like $80mil domestic for the weekend. I imagine the suits are relatively pleased with that. I am interested to see how it did abroad.

69.9M - 150.2M estimated total.

 

[Cody5242]

@flynnibus your prediction sure was close wasn't it?

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

Oz bewitches box office with an $80.3 mil debut. Made $69.9 mil overseas. So in total it made $150.2 mil for weekend one. 53% of ticket sales in North America came from premium priced 3d/IMAX 3d viewings.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...z-great-and-powerful-20130309,0,5446819.story
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/10/oz-the-great-and-powerful-has-big-opening/

 

[Next Big Thing]

@flynnibus your prediction sure was close wasn't it?

It took in what he predicted it would do in an entire weekend in one day.

 

[Funmeister]

Opening weekends are great to create buzz, but is the longevity through weeks four, five and beyond that determine real success. Hopefully it can keep its momentum and justify more movies and dare I say...theme park attractions/lands?

 

[DocMcHulk]

$150m is not bad, but it still has a LONG yellow brick road until it reaches the green city of profitability.

 

[flynnibus]

@flynnibus your prediction sure was close wasn't it?

I simply said I'd wager against it. I wasn't trying to redefine the theory of relativity.... or call people idiots.

Wagers are about odds and payoffs.. not emotional attachment.

 

[Darth Sidious]

I want to see Oz next weekend but I probably will wait to see it until two weeks from now.

Mila ❤ lol

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Oz could do well this week with March Break in Canada and other school kids having time off. The relatively low % of families for the opening day weekend (41%), might be explained by this too.

 

[MUTZIE77]

I wasn't exaggerating my criticisms. James Franco's acting was flat and rather unbelievable for a fast-talking carnival magician.

I have to agree with you here, I never believed Franco as Oz from the moment I saw him. Also someone else noted Mila Kunis's acting, which I will agree with as well. All in all it was a very entertaining film.