Tag: Cloris Leachman

Oscar Watch – The Croods: A New Age

Seven and a half years after DreamWorks Animation had a prehistoric animated comedic hit on their hands with the original, The Croods: A New Age hits theaters this Wednesday. It will surely be a different box office story in these COVID times as part 2 will follow with its PVOD unveiling in time for Christmas. The toon is directed by Joel Crawford and returns the vocal stylings of Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, and Cloris Leachman. New faces behind the mics include Peter Dinklage, Leslie Mann, and Kelly Marie Tran.

The review embargo ended today and the results are mostly positive with a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s in line with the 72% achieved by its predecessor. In 2013, part 1 managed a Best Animated Feature nod. It was defeated by a massive Pixar front runner by the name of Frozen. 

2020 could see history repeat itself with the caveman family. One could argue that it’s easier to slide into the final five this year and A New Age looks to do so. Yet there is once again a heavy favorite to win the prize and that is Soul from (you guessed it) Pixar. Other acclaimed titles such as Wolfwalkers and Over the Moon appear to be likely nominees and Pixar has another hopeful with Onward (though after the snub of Frozen II from last year, it’s not a guarantee that one makes it in).

Croods could easily fill the fourth or fifth slot come nomination time, but I wouldn’t chisel its inclusion in pen just yet. My Oscar Watch posts will continue…

I Can Only Imagine Box Office Prediction

Blogger’s Note (03/14/18): I am revisiting my estimate considerably upwards to $5.4 million

Playing in theaters next weekend is the faith based drama I Can Only Imagine, which tells the story behind the making of the most popular Christian contemporary song of all time. The song shares the title of the film from the band MercyMe with J. Michael Finley as lead singer Bart Millard. Costars include Dennis Quaid, Cloris Leachman, and Trace Adkins. The directors are Andrew and Jon Erwin, makers of Woodlawn and Moms’ Night Out.

I’ve yet to see a theater count for Imagine, but I would guess it’ll be relatively low at about 1,000. This genre has shown the ability to over perform estimates. That said, this one seems to be generating rather meager buzz. The Erwin brothers have seen their previous two outings make about $4 million for their starts. I’ll predict Imagine doesn’t quite reach that number.

I Can Only Imagine opening weekend prediction: $5.4 million

For my Tomb Raider prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2018/03/06/tomb-raider-box-office-prediction/

For my Love, Simon prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2018/03/07/love-simon-box-office-prediction/

The Wedding Ringer Movie Review

Someday and hopefully soon, a comedic vehicle will come along to match the charisma and talent that Kevin Hart clearly possesses. It wasn’t Ride Along. It wasn’t Get Hard from last year. And it’s not The Wedding Ringer from two years past, which sprinkles in an occasional laugh when it’s not overdoing it by setting grandmothers on fire or extending a peanut butter/dog joke (yep…) far longer than it should.

The concept is simplistic and silly: Hart is Jimmy Callahan, who offers his services as a best man to guys who can’t find one. His latest project is a difficult one as Doug (Josh Gad) not only is without a lead guy to stand beside him – he has no groomsmen period. Doug is a big teddy bear and successful tax attorney who’s still in shock he landed a hottie (Kelly Cuoco-Sweeting) to say “I do”. Jimmy recruits a band of misfits to fill out the wedding party and assumes the identity of Bic Mitchum, a priest with military experience, for his role.

The Wedding Ringer then embarks upon a series of adventures for the twosome as they attempt to keep up their well-intentioned scheme, all in sitcom type scenarios (albeit R rated ones). Jimmy has a hard and fast rule to not actually become friends with his clients, but Doug tests it. The groom also begins to question just how much he is in love with his fiancee. Parties happen. Cliched football games with the father in law do, too. Uncomfortable family meals result in the aforementioned engulfed granny, played by Cloris Leachman. Then there’s that unfortunate peanut butter incident.

It basically comes down to this – despite a few genuinely humorous touches, most of Ringer is sophomoric, generic, and just not very funny. Despite their best efforts, both Hart and Gad deserve better, though they do share a pretty decent chemistry together. I’ll give this the distinction of being just slightly more tolerable than Hart’s Ride Along and Get Hard. That isn’t saying a lot.

** (out of four)

 

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse Box Office Prediction

**blogger’s note – due to previously unknown knowledge this is just opening on 1500 screens, I’m revising my original $8 million projection to just $4.2 million

Next weekend we have yet another zombified horror comedy as Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse hits screens. From the screenwriter of a number of the Paranormal Activity franchise flicks, Apocalypse stars Tye Sheridan, David Koechner and even Cloris Leachman.

It is tough to imagine this breaking through in any major way. Moviegoers have certainly seen their share of this genre in recent years and I am skeptical this will succeed in capitalizing on its Halloween weekend release. Like both other new entries rolling out next weekend (Burnt and Our Brand Is Crisis), I don’t believe this will manage double digits for its premiere.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse opening weekend prediction: $4.2 million

For my Burnt prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2015/10/22/burnt-box-office-prediction/

For my Our Brand Is Crisis prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2015/10/22/our-brand-is-crisis-box-office-prediction/