Opening: Hot Tub Time Machine, How To Train Your Dragon plus

[TFM]

Three highly anticipated movies enter theaters nationwide so this weekend will no doubt be a busy time at the movies.

Recommended: How To Train Your Dragon 3D.

The story follows a hapless young lad who aspires to hunt dragons only to encounter one that will change his outlook on the creatures he swore to kill.

Both adults and kids will love this film as it has enough laughs and stunning visuals to keep the children happy, while a strong script and the 3D factor will have adults occupied.

The film is rated PG and is getting glowing reviews - "Boasting dazzling animation, a script with surprising dramatic depth, and thrilling 3-D sequences, How to Train Your Dragon soars." - RT

Also Opening: The Bounty Hunter

Two exes duke it out as a down-and-out bounty hunter gets the call to track down and pick up his ex wife.

Probably a big female draw, most guys won't mind seeing it since Gerard Butler plays a significant role and the film puts him in the more dominant position over Aniston.

The film is rated 14+ but reviews are extremely bad, like really bad. Most critics say the film is just too predictable, which is a normal complaint for romantic comedies, but I think critics were harsher than usual because of the actors involved. Reviews also don't matter much to this genre because their core audience know what they're getting.

Also Opening: Hot Tub Time Machine

A group of friends find themselves back in the times, namely 1986 after a wild night in you guessed it, a hot tub.

This will be a big draw among males mostly because of the raunchy humour and the lack of male-oriented films in the market lately. Personally, I know I've wanted to see this for a while so I'll be checking it out very soon.

The film is rated 16+ and reviews are very strong. Comments range from it being ridiculous and crude, to extremely funny, raucous and full of bad behaviour.

Are you guys interested in seeing any?

 

[Wyspa]

How To Train your Dragon seems to be the likely pick out of the three. The Hot Tub is not something I will go see. It more geared towards a male crown in the 16-19yr bracket. Sort of like others before it. e.g Superbad, Adventureland
I may go see The Bounty Hunter though. While the actors will not be the draw, it looks like an ok enough movie to see. As for the critics, I don't pay them any mind. If we to listen to them, then we're not gonna be seeing no movies that came out after 1970s. They alwasy draw their criticism from some child hood experience they had.. It's bias in my book. Anyways the wife will probably be rinsing my ears to go see the romance comedy.

 

[TFM]

Well, firstly, I'm an aspiring critic and I think its a noble profession, but the problem most critics have is that they don't try to relate to the geared audience. If a film stars Larry The Cable Guy, don't expect it to be a Meryl Streep political drama. Review it for what it is. I also don't like book-film comparisons. While I fully understand why adaptations need to be compared, they should be judged within the realm of film, you can not righteously turn a 900 page book into a 90 minute movie. You will never be satisfied. I don't agree with most critics, I have my special critics who I follow religiously because we have similar understandings of cinema.

Hot Tub looks great. The cast is a bit unorthodox for this type of film, but if its anywhere close to 40 Year Old Virgin, Superbad, or Knocked Up, I'll be happy. It's been a while since there was an R-rated comedy out there for guys.

I might Dragon and Hot Tub on Friday, Bounty Hunter might wait til DVD.

 

[RauCous]

How To Train Your Dragon 3D. 50 million
Hot Tub Time Machine 20 million

lol

Does any one know how to train your dragon will be in cinema? I want to see a #D movie die naturally... if thats possible

 

[TFM]

I don't understand what you're saying..you want to see a 3D(?) movie die naturally? Huh?

If we're doing estimates I'm saying How To Train Your Dragon at $55M and Hot Tub at $25M, although my gut is telling me higher on Dragon and lower on Hot Tub.

 

[RauCous]

If alice, avatar and how to train are dragon didn't have to lose screens could they have gone on until the studios or cinemas were more comfortable pulling them?
Or would more new releases have competed with them anyway?

 

[TFM]

Studios formulate contracts with theatre owners on how long they show the film. Most theaters sign on for two weeks. If the movie does gangbusters, like Avatar, they hold on, if not they let the film go and give the screens to newer films. It has do with per theater averages and how profitable they think the film will be in certain markets. If Avatar did well in New York, it could show for months, but that doesn't mean it'll do the same in Miami or LA. Remember, a film just doesn't lose all its screens at once, normally there's an average drop til the studio pulls the movie from theaters, mostly after 15 weeks. Also all theatres don't get the movie at once since some may be showing other movies so if some drop the movie, others may now be getting it.

The big problem Dragon is facing is a new glut of 3-D movies. Before there used to be about 5 3D movies per year, but after the big success of Avatar and the push by some directors, many movies are trying to cash in on the 3D factor. More than 20 films are coming out this year on 3D (most not in real 3D, but converted). The thing is, there aren't as many screens to show them all at once, so studios have to sign contracts and drop movies in favour of other movies even if the movie they are currently showing is very successful.

It happened to Harry Potter last year, when IMAX was obligated to show Transformers 2 for 6 weeks, and made Harry Potter 6 wait four weeks before it could debut there. By that time, most of the interest to see the movie had waned.

Now Alice has a contract for 3-D, so Dragon only got some 3-D screens instead of all, which is what Alice had to gross $116M in its first weekend. Clash of the Titans will be taking more 3-D screens from Alice & Dragon next week, which is not a problem for Alice since it has grossed alot of money so far, but Dragon is just getting started.

 

[LadyDeath]

I wanna see how to train you dragon..people say it better than avatar but its lie because that was a masterpiece..so i am looking forward

 

[TFM]

How To Train Your Dragon was a great film. Amazing visuals, although not as good as Avatar, but better story line and character development than Avatar.

 

[RauCous]

^^ Yes i totally agree! I just saw it it has the epic feel. It's definitely not a cheaply constructed story. It drew he in and held me there. It was nice to be emotionally invested in an animated film.
And it was mature in the execution, the characters were well rounded (for a kids film) and the last act had better action sequences than many live action movies! Seriously it was awesome..