Tag: Ed Harris

Oscar Watch: Rules Don’t Apply

The AFI Film Festival is happening in Los Angeles and that gives us an opportunity to hear about more 2016 Oscar hopefuls. This includes the fest’s premiere and it’s an eagerly awaited one – Warren Beatty’s Rules Don’t Apply.

This is the Hollywood legend’s first directorial effort in 18 years (since 1998’s well-regarded Bulworth) and first appearance on screen at all in 15 years (since 2001’s less regarded Town & Country). Anything involving Beatty is going to quickly raise questions as to its awards possibilities and this long gestating project where he portrays Howard Hughes is no exception.

It was thought for months that Mr. Beatty would compete in the Supporting Actor race until recently where a switch to Actor was announced. Reviews for Rules have been a bit mixed and even the most positive haven’t been raves. It’s at 75% on Rotten Tomatoes and chances of a Picture or Director nod seem highly unlikely. Same goes for anyone in the supporting cast that includes Lily Collins, Alden Ehrenreich, Annette Bening (she’ll get recognized anyway this year for 20th Century Women), Matthew Broderick, Alec Baldwin, and others.

As for Beatty in the Best Actor category, it’s certainly no guarantee he will get nominated, but that particular race is a bit weak this year (once you get past Denzel Washington for Fences and Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea). I would anticipate Beatty will be in the mix over the next several weeks, but whether he makes my final cut for the final five is a question mark.

Run All Night Box Office Prediction

Liam Neeson is yet again back in action mode with Run All Night, out Friday. Since his reinvention as a B movie shoot em up lead seven years ago with Taken, Neeson has managed to star in a string of successful genre pics. This one finds him as an aging hitman with Ed Harris, Joel Kinnaman, and Common in the cast.

The advertisements have done little to make Run All Night look like anything other than a run of the mill entry into Neeson’s filmography. Perhaps the largest hindrance it faces is the fact that it arrives just two months following Taken 3. While that movie was successful, it made about $50 million less than the second pic and it probably gave many filmgoers their fill of Neeson inspired violence.

While the weak box office should guarantee it a second place debut (far behind Cinderella), I have a feeling this will open on pace with the actor’s September dud A Walk Among the Tombstones, which managed just $12.7 million out of the gate.

Run All Night opening weekend prediction: $12.1 million

For my Cinderella prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2015/03/07/cinderella-box-office-prediction/

Planes: Fire & Rescue Box Office Prediction

Walt Disney Studios brings their animated sequel Planes: Fire & Rescue to theaters this Friday and they are hoping to find more success than other animated follow-ups in 2014. This spring, 20th Century Fox saw lackluster results with Rio 2, which grossed $129 million (less than the $143M of its 2011 predecessor). And then there’s How to Train Your Dragon 2 which has taken in a disappointing $147 million, far less than the $217M of its 2010 original.

The Planes sequel may have better luck for a couple of reasons. First, the expectations aren’t nearly as high. Featuring the voices of Dane Cook, Julie Bowen, Ed Harris, and many others – Fire & Rescue isn’t expected to greatly outdo the $90 million haul of its original, which came out last summer. That factor – that the predecessor came out less than a year ago – should keep it fresh in family audience’s minds. On the other hand, the first Rio and Dragon pictures had come out three and four years prior.

Planes took in $22 million last August on its way to that $90M gross. #2 may manage to take in a bit more than that and I figure it’ll pretty much take in what its predecessor did when all is said and done.

Planes: Fire & Rescue opening weekend prediction: $25.4 million

For my Sex Tape prediction, click here:

Sex Tape Box Office Prediction

For my The Purge: Anarchy prediction, click here:

The Purge: Anarchy Box Office Prediction