Box Office Update: "Impossible" End to the Year

At this point, I'm just sick of the negativity surrounding the analysis of the box office. Not the box office itself, as it's doing pretty damn well. I can see the top ten of this weekend doing well in the coming month, and an obvious surge for "The Artist" is coming when the nominations eventually do come. It's wise of the Weinstein Company to hold that back just long enough for it to really bring audiences in later on. For now, the box office gold is being spread pretty evenly, since there's nothing to really hog the spotlight. I don't think that'll change in December of this year either, but it's still an honest earnings.

"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" overtook "Sherlock Holmes" as far as total box office goes, with it likely heading to finish at or above $200 million. That seals the deal for a fifth film, after all the work this franchise has done. "Alvin and the Chipmunks" continues to do well, as we knew it would, and the same almost goes for "War Horse". I have an equal interest in seeing either of them in theaters, or ever for that matter. And in spite of some perceived-to-be-poor opening numbers for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", it bounced back properly to bring its total up to $60 million, on its way to +$100 million. I'd consider that a success for a franchise starter based on a Swedish novel. And the rest is the rest, but it's still an more than modest improvement on last weekend.

Weekend Report: Into the Bright Night

This weekend is where all the cards are put on the table as far as the 2011 endgame is concerned. The box office remains the barest of battle grounds as far as the awards season is concerned, with the holiday vacation usually being when most head out to the Oscar players of the season. Either that, or they head out to whatever commercial plays are strongest in the market. Alas, this year is proving about as disappointing as the last. We know that this can be quite a successful frame, if marketed right. The only film that seems to have the advantage, presently anyway, is "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol". It's working off of the desperation for the basic need of fun entertainment, and it is proving quite fruitful. Well played Brad Bird.

So where is the disadvantage? So far, and it's painfully unlikely as well, but "The Adventures of Tintin". People just aren't going for the commercial Spielberg play, even though it has proven to be decent fun. It's got a tough time ahead of it this weekend. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" has things better off, preying on the lovers of the book franchise, and Fincher's own marketed gatherers. "We Bought a Zoo" chose to open on Friday, so no word quite yet on how that will do, but I'd definitely imagine it would be quite the crowd-pleasing heart-warmer. Action whatever "The Darkest Hour" doesn't seem to have any market in the glut of the weekend, and is bound to lose out to "War Horse", which may or may not come sweeping people off their feet with dunder-headed tear-jerking. And that's the long and short of this weekend.