Right now I think the greatest thing in the world is The Larry Sanders show. I’ve thought so for a while now, but I can’t wait for the box set to come out that features every episode. Such riches to mine.
GETTING TOO OLD FOR THIS SHIT
Jackass 3-D may be the last in a line. For Jonathan Knoxville and his cohorts, it’s getting to the point where they can no longer take the hits with as much elasticity as they once did. The big news on this one is that Steve-O is clean and sober, and so the whole gang had to go about this film sans supplements as well. A lot of things are proved to be more palatable while in a state of intoxication, and that’s not just limited to pain.
That’s too bad, at least for Paramount. The first film cost $5 Million, and grossed $64 Million domestic, while the second cost $11.5, and made $73. That may not account for back end, but then also both films were likely very, very successful when it came to the DVD releases. As with all sequels, it’s likely that the third film cost the most of the bunch, and it’s hard to say at this juncture how much added or lost revenue there will come from the 3-D. But the picture will open. It should be front loaded (as they’ve all been), but just the same.
It’s also unfortunate, because there’s little chance Paramount can replicate the success. This was a phenomenon that is contained, with its own branding, and audience. Can you get Knoxville to shepherd a new group to do similar things? Doubtful. Perhaps money or boredom will draw the crew out for one more adventure (there’s been consistent four year gaps), but signing off when there’s still some dignity has merit.
Speaking of age, this weekend also offers Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Ernest Borgnine, Helen Mirren, and Morgan Freeman shooting and killing people in Red. It will be interesting to see how this performs, simply because this is one of those pictures that should appeal to a cross section of the public. And yet it may be a jack of all trades, and a master of none. The picture should open respectfully, but that’s par for the course will the most recent output from Willis, who has been off his game. The AV Club nailed the problem: Willis doesn’t seem to give a shit any more and it shows on screen. Say what you will for Stallone, at least he still seems to have a showman’s heart.
It’s hard to love smug, but Willis needs a director who won’t let him get away with it. And from everything Kevin Smith said about Cop Out, it sounds like Willis walked all over him. You see it with a lot of aging talents, where they just don’t want to do any heavy lifting, but can’t give up the ghost. Audiences have responded to his lackadaisical approach by not exactly falling for his more recent star turns, excepting Live Free or Die Hard. It’s been since Sin City that he seemed in an okay film and engaged in the material. I love Bruce Willis, and think he can be great, but it’s been a while.
OH WHAT A FEELING, TO PREDICT ON THE CEILING
The Social Network should go from first to third, but that’s not a bad fate. Sony’s got to hold on, but it’s nice they won’t have that much to weather for the next couple – at least in terms of adult drama. They’ll be able to get to $60 by the end of the weekend, so if Sony goes with an Oscar re-push, they’ve got a shot at $100, but my math puts it at $90-ish right now. That may be enough for a good solid limp, but when 11/5 hits, they’re going to start bleeding screens.
Clint Eastwood’s latest, Hereafter, hits six screens. This seems like folly. The film was slayed in the festival circuit, and though Eastwood has his defenders, this also stars Matt Damon, and could get to a ten to twenty opening just on his laurels. They’re expanding next week to over 2000 screens, but the picture is going to have to overcome that initial stink. Fortunately, critics are mostly giving it a pass, and some are calling it another great Eastwood film. But more on that next week. The per screens on this should be reasonably good, so it has that for now.
And then it’s on:
1. Jackass 3-D – $27.5 Million
2. Red – $15.7 Million
3. The Social Network – $11.3 Million
4. Secretariat – $8.5 Million
5. Life as We Know It – $7 Million
It’s possible that the horse movie and Life will be closer, but I’ll give Secretariat the edge, just for the target demo. That’s the film’s last minor victory. More Sunday.
4 comments
You nailed the Bruce Willis problem on the head. He just doesn't give a shit anymore and you can tell by his recent performances, which is pretty sad. He doesn't even try to change things up anymore and it's making him look very tired and route. Willis used to be my favorite actor but is now one of my least favorite for burning me so many times with his shitty films and his shitty performances. That's why I won't be seeing RED, I don't want to get burned again. Where's the late 80's, early 90's Bruce Willis who was trying his heart out and actually succeeding? He's been replaced by an old has been who acts like just walking in front of the camera is gonna make his movie good. No Bruce, you actually have to try to act as well.
Regarding Willis, he would only respond positively to a bigger league director like Fincher, Ridley Scott, Cameron, Spielberg or Jonathan Demme. Hell, even Rodriguez. I'm sure Fincher could draw a hell of a performance out of him though.
But yeah, he would totally walk all over any newbie director, or one like Smith who has little industry power.
Fincher doesn't have any weight with stars. To handle Willis he'd require Pitt on set at all times. Or the big fat Oscar that the Facebook Movie seems unlikely to deliver now. Willis still has potential though. Just Hollywood is going through a really rough patch at the moment creatively. The old guys have lost it, the journeymen are beyond boring, the talented guys are all gooed up doing superhero shit for the next 5 or 6 years, the SUPER talented guys are all on TV having a dream run and Willis ain't going back to TV.
I like Willis but I'm not sure about all this talk of a golden age of Bruce. We loved him in Moonlighting and then Die Hard made him the tough guy. Bu tthen what came – a voice of a baby; a not nearly as good Die Hard sequel; Hudson Hawk; sure we liked hiom in Last Boy Scout and Pulp Fiction but in the same era he was in Striking Distance (anyone have any love for that film?) and North. For every Sith Sense or Unbreakable there's a Color of Night or Mercury Rising. He gets by on his sardonic attitude and Die Hard sequels. But as I said, I like watching the guy for the most part (I'll even defend Hudson Hawk) but I'm not really sure there's a great slump in his career right now becuase there was a nevr a HUGE peak really. Unlike Harrison Ford who had Solo and Indy going then backed it up with a very solid run of films throughout the 80s. Now we get Firewall, Hollywodd Homicide and that medical pic. Here's hoping that Cowboys and aliens delivers some classic Ford.
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