Los Angeles residents, I hope you’re enjoying Tarantino’s month-long residency at the New Beverly. I’ve heard rumblings Chud might have their own screening series as well, so keep your eyes out for that Angelinos Jolies. And then Cinefamily has their Cassavettes festival this weekend. Good times for rep houses if that’s your thing. This coverage of Japan earthquake makes me nauseous. I’m going to have to keep it short.
LOUD NOISES
Battle Los Angeles is a film that has masterfully advertised itself. The film is supposed to be either fun garbage or just garbage, but it doesn’t matter. That ad campaign spells out an opening weekend. Estimates I thought would be a little higher on this one simply because the campaign has been so strong. I thought we might get to 300 numbers, but Rango lightly underperformed so my hand is still a little tender.
I guess the big question is this week: Can Twilight be successfully ripped off? Red Riding Hood casts Amanda Seyfried in a similar sexual/monster scenario. Nick says this one’s crap. But everyone thought that about the Twilight films too. Fuck this wolf? This though doesn’t have the rabid fanbase, and nothing the stars of Twilight have done has matched the drawing power of the franchise. But maybe it’s the genre itself that’s the draw. Again, with masturbation, it’s the vessel not the actual thing itself that’s necessary. So we’ll see. They should be able to get it open. I can’t tell with this fanbase if this is more The Mummy or Wing Commander.
Mars Needs Moms. No it doesn’t.
IF THEY MOVE, PREDICT ‘EM
So how well Rango holds against direct competition is the main question. Sony better hope they’ve got a $40-$50 opening if the word of mouth is as bad as the critical scores.
And so we go:
1. Battle Los Angeles– $37.5 Million
2. Rango – $24 Million
3. Red Riding Hood – $19.9 Million
4. Mars Needs Moms – $15.3 Million
5. The Adjustment Chapeau – $13.9 Million
I will return. Hope you’ve enjoyed my Justified coverage this week.