Tag: Freaky

Drop Box Office Prediction

Drop drops on April 11th and it’s a thriller from Christopher Landon, known best for making horror pics Happy Death Day and Freaky. Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar headline with Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, and Reed Diamond providing support.

First screened at South by Southwest last month, early reviews are solid with 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 72 Metacritic. Despite the encouraging notices, I suspect this might generate more business if it fell in the director’s scary movie oeuvre. Like other releases out next weekend, this may fall a bit under $10 million or perhaps a tad over. I’m going with the under on this one.

Drop opening weekend prediction: $7.6 million

For my The Amateur prediction, click here:

The Amateur Box Office Prediction

For my The King of Kings prediction, click here:

The King of Kings Box Office Prediction

For my The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 1 prediction, click here:

The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 3 Box Office Prediction

For my Warfare prediction, click here:

Warfare Box Office Prediction

Heart Eyes Box Office Prediction

Sony hopes horror fans watch Heart Eyes when it debuts February 7th. Josh Ruben directs the scary pic with comedic overtones. Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Gigi Zumbado, Michaela Watkins, Devon Sawa, and Jordana Brewster are included in the cast.

Set on Valentine’s Day, Christopher Landon (maker of Happy Death Day and Freaky) cowrote and coproduced. The studio would go gaga if this got anywhere near the mid 20s Happy Day opening weekend haul achieved in 2017.

Don’t look for that to occur. Heart Eyes seems more likely to debut in the $9.8 million range that sequel Happy Death Day 2U had in 2019. I’ll say it manages to get a little more.

Heart Eyes opening weekend prediction: $10.8 million

For my Love Hurts prediction, click here:

Love Hurts Box Office Prediction

Freaky Movie Review

The joy of witnessing Vince Vaughn in the body of an awkward teenage girl provides intermittent comedic thrills in Christopher Landon’s Freaky. It’s just too bad there aren’t more of them in the latest spotty but certainly watchable low-budget horror flick from the Blumhouse shop. If you have seen the director’s two Happy Death Day pictures, you won’t be surprised he’s behind the camera with this. The first Death reconfigured the Groundhog Day concept to the slasher genre while its sequel veered more toward a sci-fi Back to the Future vibe. Freaky‘s influence is simple and in the title without mentioning the word Friday.

Our body swap involves an urban legend but very real serial killer who goes by the Blissfield Butcher and is played by Vaughn. Millie (Kathryn Newton) is the high schooler mourning the loss of her father while her alcoholic mom coddles her. When the Butcher swipes a mysterious ancient dagger from his previous killing in an attempt to off Millie, it switches their forms. This is just in time for Friday the 13th and they have 24 hours to reverse the effect.

I’ll use this opportunity to praise title cards. I enjoyed how in the lead up to the big day, we see “WEDNESDAY THE 11TH” and “THURSDAY THE 12TH” in bloody scrawl font as if they’re meant to provide a jolt. When Millie does inhabit the Butcher’s 6’5″ frame and has a long pined for romantic moment with her crush, it provides the funniest scene of all (Vaughn’s humorous talents are on full display there).

Yet Freaky is also tonally challenged. Millie’s tragic family dynamics feel slightly forced. The backstory involving that mystical knife called La Dola might be something its makers hope to explain further in a sequel. I’ll credit the screenwriters for finding a couple of Friday the 13th style inventive ways to off lustful adolescents, but the film isn’t exactly scary.

This is more occasionally funny than truly freaky and it ends up being about as entertaining as both Happy Death Day experiences. It succeeds from time to time with its mashup of well known properties, but leaves a bit to be desired.

**1/2 (out of four)

Freaky Box Office Prediction

A slasher version of Freaky Friday comes from the Blumhouse shop with the release of Freaky next weekend. The low budget horror flick features a high school senior (Kathryn Newton) who switches bodies with a serial killer (Vince Vaughn). Christopher Landon (who made Happy Death Day and its sequel) directs and costars include Katie Finneran and Alan Ruck.

Shot for a reported $5 million, its studio has often excelled at turning a tidy profit for its ventures. Early reviews are encouraging with an 87% Rotten Tomatoes rating with particular praise for its two leads. The theatrical window here is unique as it opens on Friday on the 13th and will be available for streaming just three weeks later in early December.

The solid critical reaction and Blumhouse’s marketing talents could push Freaky to make its budget back in the initial weekend. I’ll project that it will.

Freaky opening weekend prediction: $5.7 million