Weekend Box Office Results: This just in, Will Ferrell's career not totally dead

After a few uber bombs and insignificant displays of ineptitude, it looked like Will Ferrell was on the Jim Carrey train to wherever it is we store humans we used to find hilarious until they can reemerge as old people we find hilarious. Hang in there a few more years, Jim, you'll get there. Thankfully, The Other Guys debuted as Ferrell's second biggest opening ever, which is kind of shocking when you think about it. Hopefully this will build some momentum for Anchorman 2, as Ferrell tries to cling to what fame he has left and the studio sees him as more financially viable. In other news, Step Up fell down and Dinner for Schmucks barfed.

Here's the haiku breakdown:

1.) The Other Guys - $35.5 million (Accuracy of prediction - 89%)

Bigger than I thought,
I don't like that it out grossed
Hot Fuzz already.

2.) Inception - $18.5 million (Accuracy of prediction - 86%)

This is just insane.
This could do $300 mil
just domestically!

3.) Step Up 3D - $15 million (Accuracy of prediction - 70%)

I don't get you folks.
It's the same as the last flick,
but it's in 3D!!!

4.) Salt - $11 million (Accuracy of prediction - 85%)

Another good week,
It is not remarkable,
but a solid job.

5.) Dinner for Schmucks - $10.5 million (Accuracy of prediction - 80%)

A rather big drop.
This means word of mouth is bad.
Sorry there, Paul Rudd!

Overall Accuracy of Prediction - 82%

It was an off week.
Summer must be at an end.
I should try harder.

Okay, that's it. You have a great Monday. Hang in there!

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Fearless, Flawless Box Office Predictions

Woo hoo! If we're doing prediction haikus, we must be at the end of the week's bloggery! Huzzah! This week's box office doesn't really inspire much fanfare, as Inception finally sulks away from number one, albeit with tons more money than most people (including myself) thought was possible. In it's place comes a Will Ferrell comedy. Oh, the days when that used to mean something. If my guess is right, this will have a nice opening weekend and then disappear. If I were Ferrell, I would be INSISTENT upon Anchorman 2. His career needs it more than anyone else's in that film. I mean, Carrell is a bonafide box office draw now after Date Night and Dinner For Schmucks in the same year, Rudd can continue to make mildly funny rom-coms in which he's the straight man to some wacky other character until the cows come home, and Christina Applegate is available...like, really available. So, make that happen. I imagine that almost all of you will be out seeing Step Up 3D this weekend. Feel free to not mention that to me ever. I kid. But really don't tell me about it if you see it, I want to think better of you. Okay, enough already, let's predict!

1.) The Other Guys - $28 million

Will Ferrell was king
or at least the head jester.
Now he makes this stuff.

2.) Step Up 3D - $21 million

Does this way suck less?
If you see 3D booties,
is the movie good?

3.) Inception - $17 million

You keep going, you.
I may squeeze one more screening.
God I love this flick.

4.) Dinner for Schmucks - $12.5 million

They should know better.
Other Guys is targeting
the same demo. Duh.

5.) Salt - $10 million

Quite respectable.
Not particularly great,
but respectable.

WILDCARD - Despicable Me - $9.5 million

A nice little run.
Actually, not so little.
$200 million!

Okay, that's it for today. Be good. Be productive. Be lazy this weekend!

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Weekend Box Office Results: Inception, Inception, Inception

It's Inception's world, we're just living in it. I'm not even getting sick of saying this: the film is just dominating right now. It's going to clear $200 million domestic today, has taken in something like $150 in the rest of the world, and has a strong shot at $300 million domestic and a cumulative total of somewhere in the neighborhood of $500 million. For an original movie that is complex, sophisticated, and intelligent. I wanna cry. In other news, everything else went pretty much exactly to plan. You'll see below. This is the last post of the day for me, so back atcha tomorrow y'all.

Here's the haikus:

1.) Inception - $27.5 million (Accuracy of prediction - 99%)

This is like a dream,
another week in first place.
Keep it going, gang!

2.) Dinner for Schmucks - $23.5 million (Accuracy of prediction - 97%)

A solid debut
for something run-of-the-mill.
No harm and no foul.

3.) Salt - $19 million (Accuracy of prediction - 97%)

An impressive hold.
Not too shabby, Miss Angie.
Now, go eat something.

4.) Despicable Me - $15.5 million (Accuracy of prediction - 88%)

No signs of slowing,
for this inexplicable
semi-juggernaut.

5.) Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore - $12.5 million (Accuracy of prediction - 72%)

On the positive,
this should be gone really soon,
and it beat Efron.

Overall accuracy of prediction - 90.5%

As always, not bad.
Who knows what I could have done,
if I had tried hard.

Okay, happy Monday gang!

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Fearless, Flawless Box Office Predictions

Hey beautiful blog puppeteers. You really pull my strings, you know that? I've crossed my needed payment threshold early because of you sweet, sweet ad clicking nuggets of joy. Combine that with this being a Friday, a payday Friday at that, and the fact that it's poised to be a very productive finish to the week for me, and you get the rarest of all sightings: A Ryan Syrek good mood. Howsabout them apples? Oh, sure, I'm tired, but I'm also about to predict that Inception will hold over for the third week as number one. I don't think I have ever been more proud of the American movie-going public as I have been these past few weeks. You're talking about Inception, analyzing it, recommending it, seeing it twice...and it's paying off. I promise you that right now, between this and District 9, studios are suddenly looking for the right combination of artistry and originality instead of only looking for remakes. Oh, they'll still do those like crazy, but this really has ushered in a huge change I think. I love you all so much. I'm about to make some predictions and then peace out on y'all since it's Friday and you have better things to do.

Here are the haikus for this week:

1.) Inception - $28 million

This has brought me joy.
Box office domination
is finally sweet.

2.) Dinner for Schmucks - $25 million

I love you, Paul Rudd.
And I don't care who knows it.
No one tell Abbie.

3.) Salt - $18 million

This should hold quite well.
I should say it will "preserve."
Tell me you get that.

4.) Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore - $17 million

This isn't real, right?
I am imagining this.
This should not exist.

5.) Despicable Me - $15 million

Despicable what?
This thing just keeps making cash.
Have respect for that.

WILDCARD - Charlie St. Cloud - $15 million

Dead kids are freaky.
They are almost as creepy
as pale Zack Efron.

Okay, that's it gang, have a slam-bang weekend for me, okay?

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Weekend Box Office: Wowza did you like Inception

I'm so happy right now that if I sneezed, I would blow out a double rainbow (yes, I'm still making that reference). The normal drop-off percentage from a big opening weekend (and anything over $40 million is big) is somewhere around 50-55%. If you manage less than 50%, you get a shiny gold star. If you manage less than 40%, you are given your choice of firstborn children to steal from the studio executives that made the movie. If you manage 30.7%, you instill within me the belief that America is a great nation capable of embracing great movies. Inception fell to a range that would have been near acceptable for an OPENING weekend. Suddenly, the $150 million "gamble" doesn't seem to be that much of a gamble at all, as the film will likely roar past $200 million domestically quite easily. Not too shabby for a big-budget art film. Also of note, Angelina Jolie's perfectly acceptable action film, Salt, posted a really nice weekend. It's a female-driven action film, so it's really nice to see a box office turnout for it. Here's how the rest of the stuff shook out, haiku style:

1.) Inception - $43.5 million (Accuracy of prediction - 96%)

This is such great news.
America gets an "A."
I like you today!

2.) Salt - $36.5 million (Accuracy of prediction - 91%)

Nothing to sneeze at.
This total is really nice.
I smell a sequel.

3.) Despicable Me - $24 million (Accuracy of prediction - 87.5%)

This is hanging well.
And that has little to do
with the damn 3D.

4.) The Sorcerer's Apprentice - $9.5 million (Accuracy of prediction - 82%)

Well, the bleeding stopped.
But the damage has been done,
Nic Cage is over.

5.) Toy Story 3 - $9 million (Accuracy of prediction - 89%)

$400 million
Now seems rather likely here.
That's no kid-sized haul.

Overall accuracy of prediction - 89%

A great weekend, gang.
Big box office chosen well.
Now, remember this.

Okay, that's it for now. Have a great Monday!

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Fearless, Flawless Box Office Predictions

As you know by now, I'm praying with every fiber of faith that Inception will retain its hold over humanity and continue pummeling the box office like a prize fighter in his prime. Help the film do that. See it if you haven't and see it again if you have. That's an order soldier. I'll be back later with a review of Salt, but the basics of that are this: If you wanna see it, that's cool. You'll think it's okay. It is. It's not great, but it's okay enough. That's my in-depth analysis at this point, it's all I have to give on this Friday. Now, quickly, to the haikus before I tire completely.

1.) Inception - $40 million

I know this is high,
but so are my hopes and my dreams.
Make this a huge hit!!!!

2.) Salt - $30 million

Angie kicks some ass,
but let's just be honest here,
hers is too skinny.

3.) Despicable Me - $18 million

Still the best option
for families that have seen
Toy Story enough.

4.) Ramona and Beezus - $8 million

I remember this!
I read some Ramona books!
I'm still a tough guy!!!!

5.) The Sorcerer's Apprentice - $8 million

Poor Nicholas Cage
dressing up like he did here,
only for a flop.

WILDCARD: Toy Story 3 - $7.5 million

All things someday end.
This is the end of the road
for a great movie!

Okay, that's it for now. Back with a review later. Must run!

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Weekend Box Office Results: A good start...

Okay, nicely played. Inception is Leo's biggest opening weekend ever, it's one of the top weekends ever for an original movie, and it picked up business over the weekend (it didn't peak opening day). That's all well and good. Now, you're going to have to go see it multiple times, tell your friends and family to see it, and generally promote it like hell. Why? Because it's the easiest way to make sure that we're going to see more stuff like it. Just like the success of District 9 has lead to a slew of short-film directors getting their work optioned for movies, the success of Inception will allow for more artists to be given bigger canvases. It's in your hands, folks. Now, let's take a look at what I done this weekend.

Here's the box office results, haiku style:

1.) Inception - $60 million (Accuracy of prediction - 87.5%)

Not too bad so far
but we all can do better.
Let's keep it up, folks.

2.) Despicable Me - $32 million (Accuracy of prediction - 95%)

A super-big hit,
this cost just $70 million.
It has doubled that.

3.) The Sorcerer's Apprentice - $17.5 million (Accuracy of prediction - 93%)

Nice try, Nicholas,
but we are done with this crap.
You too, Bruckheimer.

4.) Twilight Eclipse - $13.5 million (Accuracy of prediction - 94.5%)

It is almost gone.
There is no better feeling,
than Twilight's absence.

5.) Toy Story 3 - $12 million (Accuracy of prediction - 87.5%)

$400 million
is a possibility.
Not too shabby, toys.

Overall accuracy of prediction - 91.5%

I love the summer.
Not for the warmer weather,
I just score better.

Okay, that's it for today. Have a great Monday, y'all.

Fearless, Flawless Box Office Predictions

This weekend, I am begging you to make Inception a big, fat, nasty hit. I mean like really freak the studios out with how much you are willing to spend to see an original, unique American movie that is totally inspired and thrilling. Buy tickets for friends, see it 7 times in a row, set records for this thing so that everyone realizes we can and will support the crap out of good, quality material. I could give a wet sparrow fart if you choose to see The Sorcerer's Apprentice but BY GOD get thee to Inception so many times that your wallet hurts from opening it too often.

Now, onto my predictions for Inception's success. Here's how I see the box office, haiku style.

1.) Inception - $75 million

This number is huge
for what is an art movie
disguised as action.

2.) Despicable Me - $35 million

People love this flick,
mostly for the yellow dudes.
That's just fine by me.

3.) The Sorcerer's Apprentice - $20 million

This is in trouble.
They are giving FREE tickets.
That is not a joke.

4.) Twilight: Eclipse - $15 million

Hey, stupid vampires,
you can't hang in the summer.
Now, leave my top 5.

5.) Toy Story 3 - $15 million

I still love Pixar,
no matter what others say.
A damn fine sequel.

WILDCARD - Predators - $14 million

It looks like a flop,
but thanks to a small budget,
it really isn't.

Okay, that's it. I'll be back later with an Inception review to knock your socks off of your ass. Wait...

Weekend Box Office Results: Daffy would be proud

Good weekend for the box office, as we're poised to enter the most promising weekend of the year (Inception weekend). Speaking of which, I'll be attending said premiere of that tonight and will be sure to give you my spoiler-free thoughts upon return! But now, back to the business behind us.

Despicable Me did well for itself, Predators proved that producing matters (it should be profitable by mid week), and Toy Story 3 is now the top-grossing Pixar movie ever. Eventful!

Here's what happened, haiku style:

1.) Despicable Me - $60 million (Accuracy of prediction - 83%)

Animation rules!
At least in terms of 3D...
and beating Twilight.

2.) Twilight: Eclipse - $33 million (Accuracy of prediction - 91%)

Things are changing fast!
There is a big dropoff here!
It's almost over!!!!

3.) Predators - $25 million (Accuracy of prediction - 92%)

As I've said for years,
Action has only one name:
Adrien Brody

4.) Toy Story 3 - $22 million (Accuracy of prediction - 89%)

$400 million
Is a possibility.
Not bad for those toys.

5.) The Last Airbender - $17 million (Accuracy of prediction - 97%)

Sequel talk will hinge
on the foreign box office.
It's up to you, France!

Overall accuracy of prediction - 90%

I am on fire, folks.
Just call me "The Predictor."
Actually, please don't.

Okay, that's it. Be good this Monday, you'll regret it!

Movie Review: Despicable Me

Happy Monday morning, minions! It's going to be a gloomy week in these parts, with the weather liar drawing those little frowny clouds crying on every single day this week. I spent the weekend driving like a banshee from here to Minnesota and back, and most of yesterday trying to get done all the things I needed to get done long ago but still didn't quite finish. What I'm trying to say is, I'm not amused by the start of this week. I find it presumptuous and annoying.

The good news is that whilst I was away, both Justin and Ben were able to file their reviews of the week's new releases. So, without further ado, here is the first of them, Justin's take on Despicable Me.
Despicably Yours
Despicable Me is pretty good, and it isn’t from Pixar
Justin Senkbile

It isn’t hard to imagine that a super villain’s accomplishments might provide them with a bit of an ego boost. Gru (Steve Carell) certainly has a sense of pride in regards to his work; however, aside from stealing the Times Square Jumbo-Tron, he hasn’t really made much of a mark. Now he finds his fledgling reputation threatened when a fumbling young upstart, Vector (Jason Segel), causes a sensation by stealing one of the ancient pyramids.

Gru quickly hatches a plan to regain the crown of villainy. Part one: steal back a shrink ray from Vector’s headquarters. Part two: Steal the moon and secure his place in the evildoer history books. Part one proves to be the hardest, and Gru resorts to adopting three cookie-selling orphan girls, Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Elsie Fisher) in order to infiltrate the cookie loving Vector’s lair.

Quickly, Despicable Me becomes a typical Scrooge story, where a cold heart gets melted by some almost sickeningly cute kids. Its characters also end up following the formulas drawn out by most every animated film in recent memory. The main thing that sets this movie apart from the rest is its mile-a-minute, “Looney Toons”–indebted fights and its wonderfully absurd technology. They have freeze guns, shrink-rays, robots disguised as cookies, secret labs and home security systems of mass destruction. All that’s missing are the anvils and falling pianos.
Taking on the slapstick role (think the claw machine aliens of Toy Story and the wisecracking penguins of Madagascar) are the minions, Gru’s legion of babbling, yellow, pill-shaped workers. They’re adorable, funny and completely unintelligible, easily the most memorable ingredient of the whole film.

Of course, since Gru isn’t really despicable, the whole idea of him somehow becoming good falls completely flat. In fact, he’s frightfully ordinary, with a lack of confidence (due to a disinterested mother, voiced by Julie Andrews) and an inability to get a loan from the bank. The nastiest thing we ever see him do is pop a balloon animal he’s just made for a sobbing child. One soon realizes that Despicable Me is basically the story of a bumbling eccentric learning to become a parent. Who wants to see that in 3D?

That isn’t to say that Gru’s story with his adopted daughters isn’t touching. A little bit sappy and cheap, yes, but still touching. The problem is that it pales in comparison to the fun of Gru and Vector battling it out, and, as the film progresses it ends up becoming the main focus.
Despicable Me is a bit uneven, and, not surprisingly, isn’t willing to stray too far from the usual formulas. But it does make up for most of that with its enthralling visuals and voice talents, which combine to form this movie’s own weird kind of charm. Its best moments are very good, just not as frequent as one would hope.

Grade: B-

Fearless, Flawless Box Office Predictions

Like I said, I'm outtie like a belly button technically, but through the magic of technology I am posting this today (Friday) even though I wrote it yesterday. It's magicalicious! This week brings us Steve Carrell in animated form using all 3 dimensions, the second weekend of the murderous Twilight: Eclipse, and Predators, which features Adrien Brody and his rippling muscles (for realz). Who will win this epic three-way? Wait, that didn't come out right.

Here's how I see it, haiku style:

1.) Despicable Me - $40 million

This is my hero.
Why? Because it will keep out
Twilight from first place.

2.) Twilight: Eclipse - $27 million

Suck on second place!
The fan base may be shrinking.
Your time is OVER!!!

3.) Predators - $21 million

I have heard good things.
No, wait, I'm serious here!
I tried, Adrien.

4.) Toy Story 3 - $17 million

Top of Pixar's list.
The other kid's flick will hurt.
You done good there, toys.

5.) The Last Airbender - $16 million

As soon as it came,
it quickly left us alone.
Try harder next time.

No wildcard this week, I feel that good about it. Okay, have a great weekend. I'll miss you all. Honest.