OSCAR 2012: Pre-Fall films spark enduring interest

It's been a particularly dry patch at the theaters, given that it's been more than a month since wide release yielded any particular gems. The last new release I caught in theaters was "The Dark Knight Rises", and somehow that just didn't light a fire for the end of summer. Even a handful of my most anticipated films of this month are already falling from grace. "The Bourne Legacy" seems to be receiving a universal yawn from critics wondering how this story couldn't have booted up into an entirely new franchise. I caught a preview for "ParaNorman" recently that entirely doused my interest in the film, which seems to be trading heavily in hollow and substance-less wit rather than genuine magic.

So I've taken the time to revisit some rather positive cinematic revelations of the recent past, and it's beginning to show how much of a splash these films could make in the awards season conversation. We're bound to see one or two films not meet expectations, but on the most part the fall slate is seeming to have a pretty massive hold on the Academy's interest. "Argo", "Les Miserables", "Life of Pi", "Lincoln", and "The Master" remain prominent figures on the schedules, and we'll see rises and falls depending on how those play with audiences and critics. But there are more than a few films from this first half of the year that I suspect will figure into the conversation more than they have been.

Box Office Report: "Recall" falters as cinema recovers

It's been a solid two weeks since I tuned in on the box office, for the most part because it's had quite a downward tumble in the wake of the Aurora shootings. It was expected that we'd have a dry rest of the season following "The Dark Knight Rises", but audiences have generally felt rather shy and hesitant regarding cinematic endeavors of recent weeks. Out of lack of options, I only revisited the theater recently, all to share the experience of "Magic Mike" with somebody else. It feels like the trip to see a movie has taken on a greater symbolic meaning, as it's about the act of sharing with somebody, amongst a theater of similarly bound individuals.

Thus it makes sense that "Total Recall" didn't really call out to audiences as joyous experience to share. Perhaps on some father-son level, but outside the male crowd, I don't see this playing too widely. Even there, most guys are still experiencing "The Dark Knight Rises", which is growing a few stronger legs than it initially had. The weight of critical disappointment and the unfortunate event that introduced it to theaters took its toll in a very frontloaded fashion. That's working to the film's advantage now, as some stragglers are coming along to it, and if for no other reason than not having better options, plenty are revisiting.

Box Office Report: "Dark Knight" rises amidst tragedy

No box office analysts could have predicted the turn this weekend would take, and everything stopped dead in its tracks when news came up from Friday morning. Box office statistic were thoughtfully abated until Monday, so as to not trivialize the tragic events looming over this weekend. Needless to say "The Dark Knight Rises" probably would have fared much better had none of this happened, with some saying it was on track for upwards of $200 million, stomping out "The Avengers"' stronghold over this summer. Christopher Nolan action flick still did rather well in comparison to ordinary releases, even if it didn't come close to setting records. Expect this film to just barely skip past $400 million by the end of its run.

Box office in general took a heavy dive this weekend; with scarcely a single film dropping below 50%. The two occasions in the top ten were "Brave", likely benefiting from the "go out and see a film without people you love" statement many pushed at the start of the weekend. "The Amazing Spider-Man" took the nastiest dive, smothering chances of it getting anywhere close to $300 million. "Ted" is seeming more and more like the success story of the summer, playing favorably with most crowds. Indie films "Moonrise Kingdom" and "To Rome With Love" continue to be some of the strongest holders on the box office.

Box Office Report: "Ice Age" melts as "Moonrise" rises

We may be getting stuck in the doldrums of summer, I fear. A weekend filled with films earning a lot of money is garnering merely a shrug out of me. Admittedly, that's much the way I am during the summer, with "Moonrise Kingdom" being the only success story that merits emotional resonance from me. The audience circus that is box office stats, while I occasionally enjoy commenting on it, wanes with the years as the sums get larger and real success seems a much smaller thing. For example, on some scale "The Amazing Spider-Man" is doing rather well. It's on its way toward $300 million by the end of its run. And yet not only is it meager in the face of the success of the original "Spider-Man" and "Spider-Man 2", but it'll barely register by the year's end.

True box office achievements are stated by two things: 1) the exceptional quality of the film it belongs to ("Twilight" and "Hunger Games" do not count), and 2) contrast to the average box office of its type of film. Take "Moonrise Kingdom" for example, as usually indie films do not register with mainstream audiences. Not only is it continuing to fare extremely well throughout the summer, but it also happens to be Wes Anderson's most inspiring creation to date. Contrast that with "Ice Age: Continental Drift", which opened in line with its predecessors, sure, but nearly $15+ million below any of the other major animated openings this year. Add to that reviews similar to those of every other film in the franchise, we get something that's not all that interesting to comment on.

Weekend Forecast: "Ice Age" heats things up

I think 20th Century Fox is fully aware of the irony in releasing the films in their "Ice Age" franchise in the heat of the summer. Perhaps that's a strong reason to their success, being the most natural sense of escapism. It's also probably because the "Ice Age" franchise is one of the funniest of juvenile kids franchises. I admit that I've had an absolute ball with all three of the films so far, most especially "Dawn of the Dinosaurs". I'd be tempted to see it in theaters myself if I weren't saving up for bonus cost of IMAX for a certain feature releasing next Friday. If "Continental Drift" balloons to success this weekend, I wouldn't be surprised if it were to forestall the anticipation of Christopher Nolan's latest.

As for the holdovers, what can you expect beyond the inevitable fact that they'll continue to do well? "Spider-Man" is well on its way to scrape the bottom of $300 million by the end of its run, and it's been playing extraordinarily well overseas, so that absolutely confirms a sequel. The rest of the weekend's winnings will be split between "Ted", continuing on its summer winning streak, "Brave", and "Magic Mike". Other than that, I don't suppose we can expect a $200+ million opening for "Alps", can we?

Box Office Report: "Spider-Man" leads "Amazing" weekend

My worries of a large dip for "Amazing Spider-Man" were apparently unfounded, as the film performed rather positivity anyway. The more I dwell on it, the more I think this proposed trilogy is salvageable, provided they find the right director for the follow-up (can I start by pitching David Cronenberg?). Sure, the reboot didn't perform nearly the same numbers as any of Raimi's trilogy, but reboots generally have a tough time inspiring new followers. In comparison, it's fared much better than the openings for "Batman Begins", "Superman Returns", or "The Incredible Hulk" ($48.7, $52.5, & 55.4, respectively). The film is tracking for a $300 million finish, which is fantastic with all things considered.

The real success story of the summer, currently, continues to be "Ted", to which aspirations were made to "The Hangover" very early on. Seth MacFarlane's talking-teddy comedy is holding extremely well, and considering there isn't a comedy to steal its audience for another three weeks, one could expect it to continue its victory run. Talking of which, "Brave" continues to be a return to form for Pixar, at least in terms of box office success. It seems destined for the same average as predecessors such as "Cars" and "WALL-E". "Savages" fell to a middling status debut, despite aspirations of wider audience acceptance.

Weekend Forecast: "Spider-Man" fights off "Savages"

"The Amazing Spider-Man" may be the buzz of the weekend, but the weekend is proving to be somewhat dicey territory for the superhero reboot. The film's been taking a box office tumble over the past few days, and it could have a tough time maintaining audience favor this weekend. The way it premiered on tuesday made it look prime for a big weekend, but now it's back down to ground level. One could expect it to go the usual way of $60+ million opening, which should be pretty positive given the recent developments. It's one of those things that's too soon to say because we don't know the trend it's on yet.

Its competitor, Oliver Stone's "Savages", could be in for a bigger debut than people are allotting it. It seems like the sort of film that draws in male centric audiences with a fever before quickly dissipating. Think "Predators" of two years ago, and the general feel that surrounded that action flick. As for holdovers, you can expect "Ted", "Magic Mike", and Brave" to all hit somewhere in the $20+ millions, which should easily put us over last year when "Zookeeper" and "Horrible Bosses" had disappointingly big debuts on their hands while "Transformers 3" continued its massive run.

Weekend Forecast: "Magic Mike" preps to be a smash

Channing Tatum is prepping to storm the box office in a huge way this weekend, and everyone seems to have their backs turned to it. For caution's sake, I'm only going to predict "Magic Mike" to debut in the mid-40s, but I honestly believe that it's going to hit higher than that. There are a few things that inform that opinion, one being the $2 million it scored in midnight showings. For an R-rated "comedy", that's spectacular. It's also got Channing Tatum to its name, and the man has never been hotter in the audience eye. Between "The Vow" and "21 Jump Street", he has been making the rounds pretty well to get to this point. What it amounts to is the most potent release of his career. Add to that the fact that the film is absolute dynamite, and you're golden.

My heart tells me to expect that Soderbergh film to mint $50+ million this weekend. As for "Brave", expect it to still hold on spectacularly, seeing as there's nothing new for kids this weekend, unless they unadvisedly walk into "Ted" thinking it's something it's not. Talking of the McFarlane debut, I expect it will do pretty well with people looking for a more overt laugh-fest. It'll find an audience, as will "Medea's Witness Protection", which should find success with Tyler Perry's existing crowd of onlookers, though I speak purely in box office terms.

OSCAR 2012: "Brave" shoots for new horizons

I'm not at all into placing bets on the Oscar race this early, which only serves to throw me for an uninformed list as I realize all the possibilities that aren't yet on the schedule or just appearing. However, there was one particular film recently that sparked my interest into one of the technical races. I was a bit shy on discussing the visuals of "Brave" in my favorable write-up the other day, but I don't need to further state how tremendous a technical achievement the latest from Pixar is. The setting lends itself to a glorious visual landscape, from the way the sun lights up the cliffs and the water streams down so brilliantly. Personally, the most recurring visual treat of the film for me is the way Merida's tangled mane of hair moves.

It's an outstanding film that shows how far Pixar has gone in mastering their craft, far above where any other animation studio has ever dreamed. From the lively and acute details put on display in "Ratatouille", to the unbelievably grounded and real worlds composed in "WALL-E", Pixar has constantly been pushing the bar technically, so one can stand to reason that at some point they'll make a break into the visual effects race. Of course the Academy has been rather stingy in the past regarding the line between animated and visual effect, neither allowing motion capture films entrance into the former, or the latter into a visual effects race.

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Of course the odds of that happening are somewhat slim, with more action oriented or Oscar friendly fare being more likely to take up all five slots, but it may end up a surprise hit along the way. What's more likely for "Brave" are the regular spots for Disney flicks, mainly the expected animated feature nod that's doubtless to come. Also quite likely is a nomination in the increasingly miniscule Original Song category. Any one of the film's songs could qualify and make it in, and I'd place my bet on the most memorable "Touch the Sky". I have a bad feeling that could be the winner, because everyone would be very likely to shrug at that moment. But if they choose the ending song then we could get the positive word of Mumford and Sons winning an Oscar! Wouldn't that be something?

But it very well may be a single nomination in Best Animated Feature, though possibly not a win. The love isn't crazy for Pixar's latest, though there could be quite the positive boost late in the season. It depends on which animated films emerge favorably with audiences. "ParaNorman" is a distinct possibility, but I don't feel like people will really want to give themselves to that film. "Wreck-It Ralph" may be the surprise hit with mainstream audiences, and a similar possibility going out for "Rise of the Guardians". I have a feeling, however, that one of the year's foreign standouts will finally catch the Academy's greater attention for once. Filling out possibilities, I wouldn't count out sound mixing, or Patrick Doyle's memorable and Scottish tinged musical score.

BEST BETS: Animated Feature

POSSIBLE NODS: Original Song, Original Score, Visual Effects, Sound Mixing

Box Office Report: "Brave" changes its fate

Just a general rule to keep in mind when predicting box office success: Do not play down expectations ever. True, there are situations in which films like "Rock of Ages" and "That's My Boy" don't perform as well as people expect they normally would. There are also situations in which we're predicting a fantasy action film starring Kristen Stewart will only earn $30 million its opening weekend, or that a Dreamworks animation flick will suddenly disappoint just when kids are getting out of schools. So when Pixar, a company that specializes in films that appeal to both children and adults, debuts a heartfelt new feature, do not play down the odds of success!

I don't often play up the film's quality in relation to box office, but "Brave" is consistently hilarious, amazingly beautiful, and brought some real tears to my eyes towards the finish. For those qualities, I think people are almost certain to spread some positive word on this film, possibly returning for a second go in theaters. Given those facts, I think we could project a similar trajectory as "Cars" took back in 2006, possibly going on to achieve $250 by the time it finishes up. It has three weeks until another animated film enters the market, which should be plenty time for it to build its case against "Madagascar 3". In any case, Pixar probably has a genuine success on their hands with this one.

Speaking of "Madagascar 3", the film kept an admirable hold at the box office against Pixar's latest, though now that there's a much better alternative for kid crowds we might see its strength taper off greatly in coming weeks. "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" had quite the miserable weekend, with audiences either steering clear or figuring out why they should have. "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" crapped out altogether, sadly enough for the Focus Feature... comedy? That lack of knowledge in marketing may be the problem. Ultimately this weekend was $10 million shy of last year, when "Bad Teacher" boosted the weekend ruled by "Cars 2" up a notch financially.

1. "Brave" (First Weekend; 66.7 million)

2. "Madagascar 3" (Second Weekend; $20.2 million; $157.6 MILLION TOTAL)

3. "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (First Weekend; $16.5 million)

4. "Prometheus" (Third Weekend; $10 million; $108.5 MILLION TOTAL)

5. "Rock of Ages" (Second Weekend; $8 million; $28.8 MILLION TOTAL)

6. "Snow White and the Huntsman" (Fourth Weekend; $8 million; $137.1 MILLION TOTAL)

7. "That's My Boy" (Second Weekend; $7.9 million; $28.2 MILLION TOTAL)

8. "The Avengers" (Eighth Weekend; $7 million; $598.3 MILLION TOTAL)

9. "Men in Black 3" (Fifth Weekend; $5.6 million; $163.3 MILLION TOTAL)

10. "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" (First Weekend; $3.8 million)

Film Review: "Brave" (***)

I realize that after a film as bad as "Cars 2", many were looking for Pixar's next to be a rousing and masterful return to form for the company that has put forth multiple genuine masterpieces in its relatively short lifespan. Apparently it's some great fault on the studio's part for not turning out another absolute masterpiece just two years after their last brilliant film. One can't comment positively on this film without mentioning the irritating barbs it's received over this past week. For one thing, you can't proclaim a studio's decline on the shortcomings of a single film. You can't even proclaim a director's, for that matter. People should remember pretty freshly that shortly after making "Hulk", Ang Lee went on to make something as great as "Brokeback Mountain".

"Cars 2" may be the "Hulk" in this situation, but saying "Brave" is the metaphorical equivalent to Lee's 2005 60s set romance could be an overstatement. It lands more favorably in relation to "Taking Woodstock", a film of Lee's where he wasn't attempting a masterpiece. He was doing something different. Similarly, "Brave" doesn't hit the same notes as has been known in Pixar's history, but it's not trying to. As a matter of fact, I can only think to applaud them for going so bravely outside their narrative and technical comfort zone to attempt something like this. It's not what you expected, but when has that ever been a bad thing?

Weekend Forecast: The odds be ever in "Brave"s favor

It surprises me that people are estimating a smaller than usual opening for "Brave". It seems rather illogical for three reasons, the first being the fact that it's a kids flick. After "Madagascar 3"s strong opening, it seems ridiculous to expect it to do any less than $61 million. The second strong aspect is Pixar's recognizable staple, which secures in a large sect of people enamored with Pixar films. The third factor, and I may be overestimating this, is "The Hunger Games". Similarities alone factor it a strong boost, especially in this year. I think a $70+ million opening is close to a certainty. If "Cars 2" can get $60 million with bad reviews and negative buzz, "Brave" will be fine with its solid reviews.

The competitors have a much riskier time this weekend, particularly "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World". The Keira Knightley and Steve Carell rom-com has been particularly low on the buzz meter, especially considering it's about the apocalypse. I guess that isn't so much of a draw right now, but it's just had a silent marketing campaign, killing any wider potential the film has. "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" at least has the heat of male hype to fuel it, and I wouldn't be surprised if it got to $25 million this weekend. I just don't expect it to.

THE LISTS: Best Female Characters of Pixar

It's another blessed Pixar week, even if the buzz regarding their latest film, "Brave", isn't all sunshine and daisies. It doesn't discount the widely lauded milestone of Pixar's first female protagonist, and quite optimistically not the last. Last year I posted a semi-serious list of the Best Pixar Characters, so why focus in further because of a specific gender? Because that list was majorly taken up by the men of the show, as Collette would lament were she working in this business. So I decided to look deeper into the catalog of Pixar's characters to pick out ten female characters outside of "Brave" that truly state the potential Pixar has had for significant feminine emotion.

It is worth mentioning those who could not make the list, such as Merida and Queen Elinor of this weekend's "Brave", simply because I have yet to see it. From the "Toy Story" trilogy, the presence and loss of Bo Peep is absolutely nothing to neglect, and delivers resonance in a single line of dialogue in the third film. Boo was especially close to making the mark for "Monsters Inc.", but the fact of the matter is that she's a kid, however sweet. And nobody really enters the frame from "A Bugs Life" or either of the "Cars" films. They all just feel so simple in construction. But with no further ado, here's our list of the top ten ladies of Pixar!

Films to See in 2012: June

May always does seem like more of a smooth transition into Summer than a direct onslaught. Now we're in June, where the blockbuster offerings come in great numbers, and all the better for it since there are bound to be a few that fall rather predictably. In the first week alone we have "Snow White and the Huntsman", which I can only greet with skepticism since it doesn't look to be an honest film by any means. "Mirror Mirror" has gained a wide array of differing opinions, but you cannot call it dishonest for the direction it took that story. The Kristen Stewart actioner seems to be simply to turn the story into something it isn't.

Also out that weekend are "Battlefield America" and "For Greater Glory", two films I'd previously not heard of until they were announced for wide releases. Exactly how wide that implies remains to be seen. In limited release, surprisingly, is "Piranha 3DD", which is likely to meet a quick and sudden death if expectations serve. It's thew following week that things really start picking up for the better. Amongst other things, "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" hits the stage, which should serve as acceptable entertaining for kids, and maybe just enough for adults too. If not much more, Dreamworks does have a tendency to be at least fun.

Pixar titles "The Good Dinosaur" & "Dia de los Muertos"

Pixar prepping for one hell of a delicious period of rehabilitation after "Cars 2" proved that the perennial animation studio of our time can not only do wrong, but do very wrong. This year has them releasing "Brave", their first female protagonist feature as well as their 13th film, and this fall they're bringing back the instant classic adventure "Finding Nemo" in 3D. Of all the ill-needed 3D modifications, this is the one I am most absolutely pleased and excited to see. Next year they have primed up a 3D conversion of "Monster's Inc." to coincide with the release of the much anticipated prequel, "Monster's University". My fingers are crossed that they have a story worth telling on their hands there.

So let's start with the bad news, shall we? Pete Doctor has proven his worth with the company both through the previously stated "Monster's Inc.", as well as with the heartbreaking traditional adventure of "Up". His next film, still untitled, is supposed to take us where we've never been before: inside the mind of a young girl. "Inception" for the Pixar gang? Yep, sounds a lot like it. Well that project hasn't exactly been put on hold, but it's been pushed back a year to 2015 to free up space for their other previously untitled film. I might be in a position to be unhappy if the other film didn't have just as delicious a subject as Pete Doctor's film.

"Brave" Trailer

I'm not going to start placing bets on the latest film in Pixar's canon of releases, going now into the realms of mythic Scotland. Is this trailer somewhat disappointing? Yes, and I had been looking forward to "Brave" after that initial teaser. However, the trailer also doesn't give us a single hint of what the film is actually about. It's in Scotland. There's a princess. She's a ginger. There's a bear. That's it. And we're not likely to get a trailer that reveals anything important until next year, by which time I won't be watching trailers at all. So I can say my expectations have been slightly aired out, but I'm still generally interested.

"Brave" Teaser Trailer

On a lighter note, once everyone has finally gotten Cars 2 out of their system, they'll be delighted to see that Pixar is setting a return course to their usual spark of greatness. The teaser trailer for their next film, Brave, doesn't really let the audience know too much of where the plot is headed, nor should it. It introduces the audience to the world of the film in a visually lush and intriguing manner. I'm glad to know little to nothing about this film's plot. It's a nice change of pace from the overt predictability of their latest release.

Pixar's "Brave" Poster

New Developments on Pixar's "Brave"

It can't be said that Pixar is venturing into new territory with this year's Cars 2, because the first film was extremely generic and the sequel is shaping up to be just as uninspired. I know you're probably saying that it's Pixar and they will salvage it in some way, but I just don't think they will. So if this year is shaping up to be a massive letdown, we can take comfort in knowing that next year is bringing us two promising features, one of which is another sequel which may or may not turn out useless, Monster's Inc. 2. The other is Brave, the first fairy tale from the animation studio as well as the first film of theirs starring a female protagonist. I honestly didn't notice that until now, but up to this point it has been all male protagonists. It doesn't mean the company has been sexist in the past, but I think they just never got around to it.

Sure the whole Disney princess thing has been done time and time again, but not so much like this. For one thing, we have confirmation that Reese Witherspoon will not be playing the protagonist. Instead the Scottish tomboyish princess will be voiced by similarly Scottish Kelly MacDonald (No Country for Old Men). This is something I'm very excited about because it continues to prioritize Pixar putting suitable voices to certain characters, rather than just hiring famous actors to do the roles. The only time I can recall most assuredly in the past where Pixar put star quality over suitability to the role was assigning Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy as the two main characters in Cars. They were just preparing us for that film to disappoint.

Brenda Chapman was originally slated to direct the film, making her Pixar's first female director, but she pulled out unknown reasons. She'll still be listed as co-director, much like Jan Pinkava was credited as co-director of Ratatouille from before Brad Bird came in, but Mark Andrews will be the surrogate director bringing this film to term. Andrews directed the splendid Pixar short One Man Band, and I expect him to do a more than admirable job with Brave. Providing that Cars 2 is the fall from grace that I expect it to be, Brave could be a return to form. I still prefer its former title of The Bear and the Bow, but I'll forgive it. Pixar has released a few nice pieces of art direction for the film, and it sets the scale for a lovely feature. The previously mentioned short film One Man Band is embedded below in case you need further proof of the director's suitability to this film.

Brenna Chapman Quits "Brave"

I guess not all things are set in stone, and not all production companies are perfect. For reasons unknown, Brenda Chapman has officially resigned directing Brave for Pixar to release in 2012. She was almost the first female director of a Pixar film, but that's not what concerns me most. Few films can survive after the director is replaced midway through production. Ratatouille was an exception, and that film had Brad Bird pushing it towards release. The directing duties for the film have been assigned to Mark Andrews, whose sole directing credit comes from the Pixar short One Man Band. It may be a chance for one of the smaller talents of Pixar to prove their worth, but I remain cautious. The studio has always been dangling by a thread from consistently outstanding quality to being just another studio. Lets hope it doesn't falter.