Tag: Celia Watson

Oscar Predictions: A Little Prayer

Writer/director Angus MacLachlan’s family drama A Little Prayer premiered over two and a half years ago at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival to critical appreciation. Sony picked up distribution rights, but the deal fell through and the indie pic is finally being released in limited fashion today after Music Box acquired it.

So while Venice and Telluride debut plenty of high-profile potential titles for the 98th Academy Awards over the weekend, this one is opening quietly. David Strathairn, Jane Levy, Celia Watson, Will Pullen, Anna Camp, and Dascha Polanco make up the ensemble. Nominated for Best Actor 20 years for George Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck, Strathairn is drawing kudos for his work as is Levy.

Simply put, I just think Prayer won’t get the push it needs for consideration from the Academy. Perhaps some Indie Spirit love will come its way. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Poms Box Office Prediction

STX Entertainment is hoping an older female audience will turn out next weekend to cheer on Poms. The comedy is headlined by Diane Keaton as a recent retirement community resident who starts a cheerleading squad. Costars include Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier, Rhea Perlman, Celia Watson, Alisha Boe, and Bruce McGill. Zara Hayes directs.

The film is hopeful to become a counter programming option amidst lots of expensive summer blockbusters. However, competition for a female audience is there as The Hustle opens against it and Long Shot will be in its second weekend. By skewing a bit older with its target audience, Poms is looking to tap into Book Club money.

That movie opened last May to $13.5 million on roughly the same number of screens that this is. It legged out nicely to $68 million. I don’t have Poms jumping that high and I’m forecasting high single digits to low double digits as it hopes for small drops in the weekends ahead.

Poms opening weekend prediction: $8.7 million

For my Pokemon Detective Pikachu prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2019/04/30/pokemon-detective-pikachu-box-office-prediction/

For my The Hustle prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2019/04/30/the-hustle-box-office-prediction/

For my Tolkien prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2019/05/04/tolkien-box-office-prediction/