'R' In It's Entirety

     The R rating. It's a powerful rating. The rating can really alter a film. If Spider Man was rated R and Spider Man 2 was rated PG they would look like two completely different films even with the same actors, director, and crew. The R rating has drawn a lot of controversy since it's conception. The R rating is meant to keep children and teens from viewing inappropriate films, but does it really make sense?

     A film can get slapped with R pretty easily. In almost all cases, if a film uses the F-word more than 3 times, its given an R, if used in sexual context once, it is R, pervasive profanity also gets hit with an R. Heavy drug use and references, graphic and gory violence and torture, and graphic sex and even non graphic and sexual references can warrant R. There has been a few instances where PG-13 was granted instead; Titanic for one. Many adult themes can warrant R, but those above are the most common.

     Now what's the problem with that? Kids don't need to hear the F-word 80 times or see bodies being mutilated, right? Well, right. But the problem with R is that it is too broad and too restrictive. The definition of the R rating is "no one under 17 admitted without parent or legal guardian." So, technically a 16 year old can't see Ted by himself even though the movie would appeal to him. Many theaters - like the one in my hometown, are cracking down hard. Parent's can't buy R rated tickets and give them to their kids the parent has to see the movie with them. Why? Is the parent going to shield their eyes and cover their ears? Why take them to the movie in the first place? You also can't buy more than one R rated ticket until you're 21. Really?

     Most kid's and teens now a days play M rated video games, which is equal to R. Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, Halo, Gears of War, Assassin's Creed, etc. 14, 13, and even 12 year old's play these games on a regular basis. If the games were made into movies, some, such as Call of Duty, may be produced to be rated PG-13 so the 12 and 13 year old's could see it, but R-rated content is still in the games. My generation is a lot different than my parents. Spend a day at a typical high and even middle school and you will be surprised at how many F and S-words, sexual jokes, and drug talk you would hear. Some teens can't see these movies, but yet they talk like that themselves. Why restrict them if they already hear it at school and play it on TV?

     Various alternatives for the R rating is splitting it in two. R and Hard R - which has been proposed. R is too broad; Paranormal Activity 2 could be a PG-13, but the F-word was used around 9 times. 15 and 16 year old's would appeal to PA, but they can't see it. The King's Speech had PG level themes, but the F-word was used 12 times. It was argued that it was used as a form of dramatic expression and not as an expletive, but KS still was branded with an R (and later re-released as PG-13). Then you have movies like Texas Chainsaw, Saw, Superbad, Hangover, and American Pie. They are on the other end of the spectrum and deserve to be R. So how can Paranormal Activity 2 and Saw receive the same rating?

     I think a rating such as 'SC-15' should be created. Movies like Paranormal Activity and lighter R-rated movies such Argo would benefit. PG-13 can also be too broad. Some PG-13 movies such as The Dark Knight or The Hunger Games really are too intense for PG-13, but would be backlashed for R. The Dark Knight would be perfect for SC-15. As long as you're over 15, you can go by yourself. Then the R rating can really make use of "no one under 17 admitted without a parent." SC-15, PG-15, NU-15, whatever, as long as the 15 is there.

     Ratings really are optional. Spider Man didn't have to be rated, the MPAA is not a law, but Sony Pictures wouldn't release it that way. All mainstream movies will receive a rating because it is standard and helps identify the audience. 16 year old's may not be able to see Ted in theaters, but their parents will still buy it at Christmas for them, the same way they'll buy Call of Duty. I'm not saying get rid of the R rating, it really needs to be here, even bringing back a modified X rating is an option. I'm 19 so I don't really care what rating the movie is, but I believe that some rating between PG-13 and R should be implemented or the R rating should be split to separate the Paranormal Activity's from the Hangover's. Will this problem get fixed? We may some day see.

Farewell 2012

     2012 was a banner year at the box office. 2012 set an all time record, grossing $10.83 billion and selling an estimated 1.364 billion tickets, which is the most since 2009 and a 6.4% increase over 2011, which showcased the lowest sales since 1995. 655 movies were released, which is the most ever by 22.

     The #1 movie was Marvel's The Avengers which grossed $623 million, #3 all time unadjusted. The Avengers took everyone by surprise, being the first movie to make $200 million in one weekend and $100 million in its second weekend. Another reason Avengers was such a surprise is because the biggest movie in that franchise was Iron Man with $318 million. $400 million was the prediction of most, but Avengers blew that to Asgard .

     The movie that was forecast to sweep the year was The Dark Knight Rises, which capped at $448 million. For some this may seem like a disappointment, but its still #7 all time. All time. Even Bill Gates wouldn't be dissapointed with a $448 million return.

     The shocker of the year was The Hunger Games. Predictions went from $80 million to $200 million. You could probably count on one hand the number of people who predicted a $408 million finish, which is the most for an original movie since 2009. It is also Lionsgate's biggest movie by $289 million and their biggest since 2004. No wonder Mockingjay will be split in two. Catching Fire, the sequel, is being released in November and is a serious contender for #1 of 2013. Will it happen? We'll know in a year.

     Possibly the second biggest shocker is #4 Skyfall, which so far has amassed $293 million. If Skyfall keeps it's legs and finishes above $300 million, it'll be the only 2012 movie to finish in that range. Probably the biggest accomplishment of Skyfall is that it is the most attended Bond movie since 1964 and 3rd Bond all time domestic- selling in the range of 37 million tickets. Skyfall is a $125 million improvement over Quantam of Solace, the previous unadjusted #1 Bond film. Bond has also scored $1 billion worldwide. See Hollywood, you don't really need 3D do you?

     Currently Breaking Dawn Part 2 rounds out the top 5 with $287 million so far, but The Hobbit may eclipse that soon- right now lying at #7.

     The Amazing Spider Man, the reboot from Sony, grossed $262 million, which is steep drop off from the Raimi Spider Man movies. That's how reboots work, but Amazing 2, coming out in May 2014 may bring Spider Man back to prominence.

     Brave is #8 with $237 million, the highest animated gross of the year. Ted is #9 with $218, the highest for a 2012 comedy. Predictions for Ted went from $70 million to over $100 million. Ted now ranks #7 for R-rated movies, #3 for a movie with a CGI star, and #1 for movies set in Boston. Madagascar 3 holds #10 with $216 million and the Spring surprise The Lorax finish #11 with $214 million. Men In Black 3, Wreck It Ralph, Ice Age 4, and Snow White round it out. Lincoln currently stands #19 with $137 million, but awards could push that way higher.

     26 movies had crossed the coveted $100 million mark, but 4 more movies could possibly finish above it, which would equal 2011.

     The dud of the year was John Carter. The $200 million Disney "epic" epically grossed $73 million, which robbed Disney of millions in losses. Luckily, Disney is a billion dollar empire, so one John Carter isn't really causing executives to go homeless. Dark Shadows, Battleship, Wrath of the Titans, Rock of Ages, That's My Boy, The Watch, Ghost Rider 2, and Paranormal Activity 4 can also be considered 2012 disappointments. All, except maybe Ghost Rider, had potential to crack $100 million, but all fell short for various reasons.

     2012 was a great year at the box office, especially the first half. 3 movies over $400 million, 3- possibly 4 movies over $1 billion worldwide, and 3 months set gross records. Hail to the mighty 2012.

     For a list of 2012 grosses, refer to Box Office Mojo 2012.

Trailer Park Summer

In anticipation of the release of The Hobbit, a barrage of trailers have been released among the masses. Most of these are films scheduled for Summer. 

     The Croods is by Dreamworks and their first film being released under Fox. Croods is about a prehistoric cave family that must venture out and explore the world after an earthquake destroys their cave. The Croods is released March 22, 2013 and Spring 2013 worldwide. The Croods.

     Man of Steel, the new Superman effort by Warner Bros is their biggest next up release after The Hobbit. Originally slated for December 2012 (now), Steel was pushed back to the summer for more time with post production and to give Hobbit the holidays. Steel looks to have plenty of action and emotional value and should please audiences who enjoy explosions and building collapses, but also enjoy an actual deep story. Man of Steel. Supe's flies into theaters June 14, 2013 in the US, June 2013 worldwide and July 12, 2013 in Brazil.

     Star Trek Into Darkness is the sequel to the 2009 summer hit. Judging by the trailer, the stakes are higher, the bar has been raised, they've up'ed the ante- however you want to put it. This trailer is considered an "announcement" trailer so it's more of a montage of lasers, people screaming, and scenery accompanined by a dramatic background speech, but it is still a great trailer and should produce a lot of "I have to see that next year!" quotes. Look for Trek 2 on May 17, 2013 in the US and various summer dates worldwide 2013. Star Trek Into Darkness.

      The Lone Ranger is a tentpole for Disney starring Armie Hammer and none other than Johnny Depp. The Lone Ranger may be unfamiliar with many and the trailer doesn't help that, but it does give an establishment that Disney wants this to be a franchise and expecting that Depp will draw in the crowd. The Lone Ranger is expected July 3, 2013 in the US alongside Despicable Me 2.

     Oblivion is Tom Cruise's next effort and his first forae into sci-fi since 2005. Expect Oblivion worldwide April 2013.

     World War Z; have you ever wondered "what would Brad Pitt do in a zombie apocalypse?" Well if you have then you're in luck as that thought will be answered June 21, 2013. WWZ.

     Pacific Rim is the latest from WB and Guillermo del Toro. PR has been getting major buzz from the internet crowd, but how will the general audience feel about this? PR is aliens from the ocean vs 200 foot tall robots controlled by humans. Not-Atlantic Rim lands July 12, 2013 and July 2013 worldwide.

     GI Joe: Retaliation. Self-exclamatory. 3D, stylized-ism, Channing Tatum. GI Joe Retaliation.

     After Earth doesnt include TC, but instead his conterpart- Will Smith. Set in the future, Will and his son Jaden must survive and reunite after a crash landing on an Avatar-esque Earth. After Earth arrives June 2013.

     And here are some extras- The Heat, Epic, 21 and Over, Dark Skies, Admission, Oz, Jack the Giant Slayer, Now You See Me, Iron Man 3.

'Twilight 2': Twi Harder

     The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 sucked even more life into the already lively box office this weekend. Breaking Dawn Part 2, Skyfall, Wreck It Ralph, Lincoln, Flight, Argo, and even the 7 week old Taken 2 helped propel last weekend into the 6th highest grossing and most attended weekend ever.

     Breaking Dawn Part 2 opened to $141 million and was only $1 million shy of setting the franchise record; nonetheless, it was the 2nd largest opening for November, even adjusted for inflation. Breaking Dawn didn't seem to have the finale factor that you see with franchise movies. Given that it is the last Twilight movie (at least starring Stewart, Pattinson, and Lautner) and how consistent Twilight plays, it should have opened higher than New Moon, but given Breaking Dawn's better reviews and more positive feedback from fans, it should end up grossing higher when it's all said and done. Through three, or technically four days for people picky about Thursday previews, Dawn has already brought in $340.6 million worldwide; Twihards are not confined to just America.

     It's hard for many fans to see the Twilight series (for now) end. The franchise through five movies has brought in so far $1.212 billion dollars in America and Canada alone. Of the top 10 opening weekends, Twilight occupies three spots- New Moon was at #3 before summer 2011. The franchise most likely would have also occupied a 4th spot if Eclipse had opened on a Friday. The series is known for being notoriously front loaded. Even though New Moon had the #3 opening ever, it failed to pass $300 million, which 31 movies had done, with only two opening above New Moon. Fans still show up for the series and that is the amazing fact. Twilight has stayed remarkably consistent. Twilight 2-4 ended up between $280-$300 million, and Dawn 2 will likely do the same. Even the biggest franchises such as Shrek, Spider-Man, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Chronicles of Narnia have seen in-steady inclines and declines. Congratulations to Twilight and Summit for accomplishing that- even though they couldn't accomplish a fresh rating for any of the movies.

     Maybe Abraham Lincoln really is America's favorite president and always will be- though Bill Clinton beats him in saxophone. Lincoln, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, opened to an impressive $21 million, above mid-teen projects. Lincoln currently holds 91% on RT and is getting buzz for possible Oscar contentions. Lincoln should live on on our five dollars bills, and at the box office throughout the holiday season.

     Skyfall didn't fall from the heavens this weekend, only dropping 53.5% to $41.1 million. In 10 days, 007 has raked in $160 million domestically, and will pass the last 007 outing, Quantum of Solace, by mid-week. Skyfall is also being helped by great reviews, currently holding 92% on RT. Its a foregone conclusion that Skyfall will become the highest grossing bond- domestically and overseas, and most likely will rank #4 all time in attendance for James Bond. Quantum ranks 12th. Skyfall is also setting a blistering pace overseas; worldwide Skyfall has amassed $668 million, surprising audiences and analysts across the world.

     Wreck It Ralph is still keeping families, only dipping 47.3% to $18.5 million, bringing it's total $121.7 million. Ralph may lose some players when Rise of Guardians and Life of Pi open on Wednesday. Argo crossed the $90 million mark over the weekend, still playing strong with adult audiences. Flight landed with $8.8 million and Taken 2 is surprising everyone with its late legs.

     Like I said earlier, the Twilight series has brought in over $1.2 billion worldwide and they are Summit's most profitable movies by far, so it would be hard to imagine Summit to let this completely end until the Cullen's have sucked all life out of the public. Summit has talked about a TV series or possible spin off movie that won't include the main three actors. Will Twihards still show up? Will Stephanie Meyer write another book? Will Summit make anything else? Nothing is yet official, just speculation, but we shall see. If you're a loyal follower of Steph Meyer, her book The Host will be coming to the screen in March. Find the trailer here!

    

4 Is The New 3 and 3D Is The New 1 Billion

     There used to be a time where it was hard to predict what movie would number one for the year. Superheroes, sequels, and book adaptions weren't the biggest of the year. Movies about dinosaurs, toys, World War II, holidays, Beverly Hills, and Tom Cruise flying planes were the top attended, but by the turn of the century that has changed. Since 2002, 8 of the number one movies for the year were sequels. Another thing that used to be the norm was trilogies. It used to be 3 and out; seeing four movies in series was not too normal. That is changing as trilogies are becoming 4-quels.

     This year has seen the release of Ice Age: Continental Drift, Bourne Legacy, American Reunion, Underworld 4, Step Up Revolution, and Paranormal Activity 4. Last year it was Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Mission Impossible- Ghost Protocol, X-Men First Class, Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1, Tyler Perry's Big Happy Family, Scream 4, and don't forget Shrek Forever After from 2010 and Terminator Salvation from 2009. Transformers 4, Last Friday, and Mockingjay Part 2 have been confirmed.

     So why? Why 4? It seemed like three was the perfect number. Well for some it had to happen- after Spider Man 4 was cancelled, Sony had to make The Amazing Spider Man in order to keep the film rights- yes it didn't have to be a reboot though, but it still made $752 million worldwide, so Sony doesn't really care. Some were planned from the beginning, like Shrek 4, and most, were for the surprise money aka Transformers and Pirates. Some also just don't make sense- yes we love Scream, but who asked for Scream 4? [chirps]. Twilight of course because their are four books- now is splitting it into two parts necessary though? No, but it's more money for the studio so Summit doesn't care either.

     3D may be slowly getting shunned domestically, but overseas audiences are embracing it like hugs. Avatar from 2009 started it all, making $2.7 billion, which wouldn't of been possible with 3D- though it would have still been a monster. Ever since, Hollywood has been backing the format full force, even to the point of forcing directors to slap it on there film. Before 2009, only 5 films made $1 billion WW, all 2D. After 2009, 8 more films have, with only 1 not in 3D. Grosses don't lie.

     Transformers 3 made a surpise killing overseas, $771 million with help from 3D, which is around what the original made with overseas and domestic combined. Paramount wasn't just going to let it end- even if the ending of TF3 made it seem that way. Disney too, once they saw how 3D had taken over and how Pirates was still strong, they made On Stranger Tides. Tides dropped majorly from At Worlds End domestically, but it did justice overseas. Alice in Wonderland was released in the right time. Coming three months after the 3D mammoth Avatar, audiences here and overseas yearned for more 3D. Alice grossed $1.024 billion worldwide and $690 million overseas which many believed was goodwill from Avatar. No non-sequel has broken the billion barrier since.

     There have been talks for Madagascar 4, Toy Story 4, Rush Hour 4 and Austin Powers 4 (forever), and if Iron Man 3 blows past that $1 billion barrier next year, or comes close, Iron Man 4 shouldn't be a surprise.

     Not a surprise is that 4th movies usually, but not always, fail to match the critical and financial success of their predecessors, but yet they're still made? Franchises may get tired here in the US, but again overseas, the next entry expands into a larger audience since the box office has been expanding wildly overseas. It's highly probable that sequels will make higher than theyre predecessors overseas. If Ice Age 5 is made, it won't be because kids in the US just cant fulfill their need for Scrat, it will be because kids in Latin America, Asia, and Europe can't. Animation has seen the biggest benefit; that is why Madagascar 4 and Ice Age 5 are on the table even though their franchises are growing old. Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, and Blue Sky- all animation companies- have also practically made it a rule that ALL their future releases will be 3D. Until 4D comes out of course. At least you won't expect this from live action movies. Ted 3D anyone?

     It's safe to say now that 4-quels will become more common practice. This is not necessarily a bad thing- Mission Impossible 4 and X-Men 4 were considered one of the best in their franchises. Though Pirates 4, American Reunion, Terminator 4, and Scream were seen as disappointments and/or cash grabs. Transformers doesn't really need to go on, but if there's a high probability that it will make $1 billion worldwide again- it will.

     As long as the 4th movie brings fourth (pun intended) good quality and it actually makes sense to make, then the extra number on the title won't matter. If Hollywood keeps churning out fours though just to keep the money train going and the fourth movies keep sucking, then the public may take notice of the extra number- and may skip it. Here's hoping Transformers 4 can finally break "fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes!

Disney Plans To Air "Episode 7"

     In arguably one of biggest film industry related announcement of the year, Walt Disney Studios has bought Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion. Coming with the announcement, they tentatively have Star Wars Episode 7 set for release in 2015.

     You will find very few people who believed this sequel would happen. I gave up on a sequel to The Spongebob Squarepants Movie back in 2007, and now look; I guess you can't rule out anything in Hollywood. From Justin to Kelly 2 or Superbabies 3 is still a possibility apparently.

     Disney already has ABC, ESPN, Pixar, and Marvel under there belts. The Walt Disney Company made $40.8 billion last year, so adding Lucasfilm is just adding that already ridiculous total.

     In 2010, Disney bought Marvel Studios for $4 billion. Considering Disney has already made almost $3 billion with just 4 movies, only including worldwide theater grosses- that was a good buy. Disney and Marvel currently have 6 movies planned from 2013 to 2015, including The Avengers 2.

     George Lucas said in a statement, "It's now time for me to pass Star Wars' on to a new generation of filmmakers." He will be a creative consultant on the new film.

     It would be a huge waste for Disney to acquire Lucasfilm and not develop another Star Wars movie- or trilogy. Star Wars is still a worldwide phenomenon and spans multiple generations and starting a new trilogy will just add another. Disney also wins with merchandise and will likely make billions off that alone. Star Wars is and most likely always will be the highest grossing and attended film series of all time, adjusted for inflation. Episode I: The Phantom Menace was released in 1999 and no movie domestically still has beaten in it attendance.

     The 2015 release date for Star Wars 7 is a questionable one. 2015 is almost only two years away. The only way Star Wars 7 can have three years of production is if it is released in November 2015. Plus the fact that The Avengers 2 is set for May 2015, Disney most likely would have to put Episode 7 in the holiday season. It will not be surprising if this is delayed to summer 2016, but either way, we can expect it sooner than later.

     Lucas claimed years ago that Episode 3 would be the last in the saga, but given that Star Wars is still so recognizable and popular, that claim could only last for so long. No announcements have been made on how Episode 7 will tie in with the others and whether new characters will be created or old ones will be brought back- image Darth Vader again, just imagine. Expect Episode 7 in 2015 or 2016, and also expect to see your favorite Star Wars character soon at a Walt Disney theme park near you!

A Game of Hollywood Chicken

     2012 is churning into the 4th quarter. In 92 days, 2013 will take the stage. The 2013 schedule seems very promising right now. Not surprising, there are a lot of sequels, but many of these sequels are ones that I actually want to see; same should go for many people. Many of the original movies that have been announced also seem like they could take the box office by surprise. That's the thing about original movies though, the reception to them is going to be a surprise, but with sequels, it is easy to get a general consensus of how the movie may do since it is an established brand. 

     Star Trek 2, Iron Man 3, Smurfs 2, Grown Ups 2 (Adam Sandler's first sequel), Scary Movie 5, 300 2, Catching Fire, Hobbit 2, GI Joe 2, and Kick Ass 2 are a handful scheduled for next year, but there are two sequels coming out, that is attracting a lot of attention- The Hangover Part 3 and Fast and Furious Six.

     Why is this so with these two movies? Because Warner Brothers and Universal are playing "chicken" with them. Both are slated to be released on May 24, 2013, Memorial weekend in the US. Why is this a problem? Every weekend of the year has more than one movie being released right? Well, right, but when it comes to movies of this caliber, it is not a good idea.

     The Hangover Part 2 was the sequel to the 2009 mega surprise hit. Hangover 2 was so anticipated that it became the 2nd highest R-rated opening weekend of all time, even though opening on a Thursday (Thursday is not considered part of the OW). But Hangover 2 seemed to disappoint the masses after it ended up being more of Hangover 1: The Asia Remix. Hangover 2 still did insane, finishing #4 for 2011, but it was off from Hangover 1, and left an iffy feeling in most people's head. Fast Five was a surprise last year when it broke the April record, finished #6 for the year, and scored positive critic reviews. This bodes well for the sequel; if people liked the 5th, theyll show up for the 6th. Both franchises are extremely popular, but both being released on the same weekend could absolutely kill each others potential.

     Both movies appeal to everyone, but the teen/adult male crowd is what would have the most impact. Guys want to see raunchy comedy, but they also want to see explosions and cars and exotic women, and I doubt too many would pay for both so close together. Hangover 3 I am 99% sure will be R and Fast Six im 99% sure will be PG-13, but still both attract adults and with today's prices and most people having lives, seeing two movies so close together, especially on a holiday weekend, is a big stretch. Also, Star Trek 2 is slated for release a week before, Man of Steel two weeks ahead, and Iron Man will be heading into weekend 4. That's a lot of action movies very close together. A family film and adult action film can work together (Wall E and Wanted), or a thriller film and romantic drama (Safe House and Vow), but two movies that attract basically the same audience on the same weekend? Someone is going to pay. WB and Uni are playing hard chicken. One of these movies needs to move and the studios are waiting to see who will flinch first, if either does. The Hangover franchise found success in June and Fast and Furious 1-5 has found success in the Spring, so why is May 24 so holy? No big reason really.

     Hollywood releases most "tentpoles" on holiday weekends because the extra day off means more people at the movies, but that logic in a way is flawed. A movie that makes $15 million on Memorial Monday can still make that same $15 million over the course of days if it was released on a normal date. Hollywood seems to think that if they miss out on this, then that $15 million wont be accounted for; they are wrong. All people want is a good product. Make a truly good movie and market it well and people will show up, no matter the date. The reason these holidays are so big is because its a holiday; people off of work and kids out of school, but if the movie is good, then most people will find time to see the movie if they really want too. No one is going to say "I am not seeing that movie because it comes out on April 30, but I will see the ones that come out on May 1."

     I personally would chose to see Fast Six over Hangover 3, but Fast Six should be the car that swerves this time. Fast has shown Universal that it can succeed especially in June or April, though the latter is a better option. July 19th-21st is also a weekend that would not be a bad choice. Even if Hangover 3 gets the "coveted" Memorial weekend, there is a great possibility that F6 can make more bank in the longrun. That July date or a Spring date will also treat F6 with less competition as June is starting to look insanely full as well. This has happened before, studios will both chose a date and wait for one another to bail out, most often, one does, and if Universal and Warner Brothers wants to save their two prime jewels from slaughtering each other throughout their runs, one needs to make the sacrifice. A weekend is a weekend; pump out a great movie and the audience will be in the seat with jumbo popcorn. Its only Fall, next Summer is a while away; a decision may not even be made until next Spring, but in this situation, you, the studio, wont be considered a "coward" if you move, especially if your millions is involved, and us moviegoers, may thank you.

The Old is the New New

     Hollywood seems to lately been reviving many sci-fi movies; Total Recall, Robocop, Conan, but another genre Hollywood has been vieing is old animation. Looney Tunes, Spongebob Squarepants (he's been on TV since I was 5 so I consider the show old), Jetsons, Mister Peabody and Sherman, and more are eying futures back on the big screen.

     Warner Brothers announced that Jenny Slate from SNL is going to pen a script for a Looney Tunes reboot. The Looney Tunes have been out of the cinema since 2003. After the disappointing returns of Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Warner Brothers decided that the Tunes were loosing their appeal. I guess that has changed; another aspect that has changed- the Tunes will not be traditionally drawn, but created with CG.

     Warner Brothers, Disney, Fox, and Universal have found success in animation, now Paramount wants to hop on board. They want to start up an animation department and release animated films on a regular basis. Arguably the most popular cartoon character of the 21st century is who they want to start this project up. Paramount wants a Spongebob Squarepants sequel for late 2014. I gave up on a Spongebob sequel after 2007, but miracles do happen. There are no details so far about the plot, but a Hasslehoff cameo is still possible. Universal also plans to start releasing multiple animated movies per year.

     Dreamworks is bringing Mister Peabody and Sherman to the screen next year. This is interesting since Peabody and Sherman isn't a Flintstones or Jetsons or Rugrats in terms of awareness, but don't doubt DWA. I'm sure many adults who grew up with them pair will enjoy taking there kids next year.

     The Jetsons, Marvin the Martian, and Tom and Jerry were planned for theatrical releases, but WB has silently pushed them aside.There is still possibility these projects will be revised. The library of old animation, from Hanna-Barbera to Disney to MGM is stocked, so I'm sure Hollywood start checking them out in the future and making every single one into a movie. Bring on the real Scooby Doo remake!

Is 2012 Turning The Wrong Way?

     2012 was getting off to blazing start from weekend one; now we're heading into weekend 34 and the fast pace has seemed to loose some steam. The first quarter of the year was one of the most attended first quarters ever, but attendance has dropped out of the top 10 for every summer month. There were many summer disappointments; Battleship, Dark Shadows, The Watch, Rock of Ages, and Thats My Boy. Ted, Magic Mike, Madagascar 3, Brave, and Avengers were the summer surprises; The Dark Knight Rises and Amazing Spider Man did what they were expected to do. August has also been dull; Bourne Legacy has been the highest opener at $38 million, and Total Recall, Expendables 2, Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3, Sparkle, and the July holdovers haven't helped this month much, except for Batman.

      September and October look interesting for 2012. The only sequels are Resident Evil 5, Paranormal Activity 4, Taken 2, and Silent Hill 3D. November in my opinion should be strong, but December looks pale in comparison to past Decembers. The Hobbit should do gangbuster numbers, but everything else looks like hit or miss.

      So why is 2012 waning? The year was shattering records, now 2011, which was one of the slowest years since the early 90's, is outpacing it in some weekend totals. Most sequels and remakes this summer fell short or well short of their predecessors; 17 movies have crossed the $100 million mark so far, this time last year 20 movies had passed. The price of ticket sales hasn't changed much and 3D actually cant be blamed this time. Less appealing movies can be a factor, plus the improvement of the economy and the Olympics could have played a small role. There have also been unfortunate events that have happened over the summer that in a way could've affected box office.

     Will the fall and holiday movie seasons recover? Many original movies have broken out this year; Ted, The Vow, Lorax, 21 Jump Street, and Safe House to name a few; will September-December be able to duplicate? The public has been seeming to want more original movies and less 3D, sequels, prequels, and re-releases, but original movies can be a tricky sell and mostly open less and depend on good word of mouth, reviews, and competition to make top dollar. 2012 is still tracking ahead of 2011 when adjusted for inflation by 3.8%, but it is now lagging behind 2008, 2009, and 2010. I believe 2012 will pick back up. I doubt the year will see the blistering pace again that we saw from January-March, but I believe that the remaining four months of the year will produce a few more breakout original hits and hopefully will get 2012 back ahead of 2008 and 2009. Twilight and Hobbit are sure to be big and there seems to be a lot of variety in the next few months. From Avengers to John Carter to Hunger Games, 2012 has seen its ups and downs at the box office, the last four months will be very interesting or "muy interesante" as I like to say.

So Many Superheroes

     There are many genres of movies; action, comedy, drama, sci-fi, horror, and recently it seems like superhero should be added. Superhero movies have been dominating the box office the past decade particularly and they don't seem to be letting up. Even non comic book movies like Chronicle and Hancock have done well.

     Iron Man 3, Captain America: The Winter Soilder, Thor: The Dark World, The Amazing SpiderMan 2, Guardians of the Galaxy, Man of Steel, The Wolverine, Kick-Ass 2, and X Men: First Class 2 are all in planning, pre production, or production stages. An Ant-Man, Justice League, and Flash movie, and Fantastic Four and Batman reboots are all being rumored.

     Superhero movies have always been around, but 2002's Spider Man seems to be the movie that kicked off superhero movies into blockbuster status. That movie became the first to gross $100 million in one weekend and held the opening record for 4 years. Since then, the opening weekend record has been broken 5 times; 3 times by superhero movies. In the top 15 openings; 6 are superhero movies. Batman has also broken the opening record 4 times and Spider Man has done it twice. The Avengers is sitting at #3 highest grossing movie of all time, and The Dark Knight is reclining at #4. The Dark Knight Rises is currently #1 around the world and will finish in the domestic top 10. Superhero movies have also became increasingly popular overseas in the last few years. Throw in 3D, which is a lot more popular overseas, and it's a two and a half hour thrill ride.

     Superhero movies have been successes lately, but why? Well since superheroes aren't real, the movie cant be practical, and since the majority of superheroes come from comic books, the films are more elaborate. Elaborate equals more special effects, bigger action scenes, better storylines (most of the time), more characters, heighten fantasy elements, are more epic scale set pieces and scope. A movie about people falling in love is practical because that happens to everyone, but a movie about alien humanoids with gravity shifting capabilities coming to destroy New York and only being able to be stopped by a flying man with magnetic powers is something no one will ever see in real life, so seeing it on the big screen is a novelty. Superhero movies also tell broader stories and have been marketed more fiercely in the recent years.

     Superhero movies can be serious, like The Dark Knight or comical, like Hancock, or even both, such as The Avengers. Hollywood has noticed that audiences are taking a liking for them so the studios are supplying these movies with bigger budgets. The average cost for a superhero movie is now spilling into over $200 million, not including marketing costs. If you ever see a road trip comedy or period drama cost that much, then well, the studio is just waving a big "SOL" sign over there heads. In order for these movies to be elaborate and have the special effects and epic scope that they have, they have to have a bigger budget. This $200 million usually covers the special effects- which seems to be the most expensive aspect, salaries, regular production costs, filming costs, and 3D and IMAX costs. Marketing usually isn't covered, but a way studios help alleviate marketing costs is through product tie-ins, tv rights, and merchandise. Studios have a lot of faith in superhero and comic book movies because they sell toys, games, clothing, books, supplies, collection items, posters, food, cartoon series', etc., something a regular movie cant do as well. These guaranteed sales that go beyond just ticket receipts are why studios beef these movies up.

     Even though Hollywood has done some really stupid things the past years, one thing they usually don't do is let the quality of these movies slip up. The last three Batman movies have all scored over 85% on RT, the two Iron Man's have scored 94% and 74% respectively, Spider Man 1 hit 89%, while Spidey 2 hit 93% and the other two have stayed fresh, Thor scored 77% and Cap Am scored 79%, The Avengers rolled in with 93% approval percentage, and The Incredibles landed on 97% in '04, X-Men has also done consistently well. There are some stinkers, such as the Ghost Rider movies, Batman and Robin, Superman 4, and Elektra. The pressure is always on for these movies to be great; since the bar seems to be raised after every release. Thor and Captain America weren't guaranteed to be successes, but Marvel made sure those movies were done right, and they did pretty well as an end result. If a superhero movie is bad, it may still open big, but it'll most likely drop off the earth, such as Origins Wolverine, which is the highest opening movie not to make $200 million, or Hulk from 2003.

     The demand for superhero and comic book movies is only getting bigger. You can almost expect one every first weekend of May, Memorial weekend, Independence weekend, mid-June, mid-July, or holiday season. If your favorite character doesn't have a movie in production yet, you don't have to write Paramount or Warner Bros. an angry letter, you'll see them on the screen in no time. Marvel and DC Comics are becoming the play-makers in Hollywood.

Re-Finding Nemo?

     It was announced yesterday by Andrew Stanton, the man behind John Farter, whoops I meant John Carter, is bringing Finding Nemo 2 to life. Yes, I said Finding Nemo 2. As you read this you are either jumping for joy and tweeting about it, or you are cussing out Pixar and Disney.

     Why would one cuss out Pixar and Disney? Well why does a Finding Nemo 2 need to exist? Are they really going to lose him again? My guess is no; since fish don't live as much as humans and since the original movie is 9 years old, and will be 13 in four years, Pixar can maybe go the Toy Story 3 route and have Nemo grow up, or a "Finding Dory" concept would be pretty cool, and Ellen DeGeneres would be more welcomed back than Billy Crystal as Mike in the upcoming Monsters University (even though Crystal will likely bring down the house with that character). In the end, Finding Nemo 2 probably won't be the title. I hope.

     The earliest we would see Finding Nemo 2 at this point is 2015 or 2016, most likely the latter, so why release it 13 years after the original? Maybe for money? Finding Nemo is still a popular movie and character and one of the most beloved Pixar titles, and Pixar's most attended movie ever, and still makes millions a year for Disney through merchandise and TV rights. Or maybe Stanton and Co. have really came up with an intriguing concept for Nemo 2, but they're just keeping it under wraps?

     Pixar, like Adam Sandler, used to be against sequels, but lately they have churned out Toy Story 3 and Cars 2 and Monsters University is set for next year. There have also been Incredibles 2 rumors for years. Toy Story 3 scored a 99% on RT and became Pixar's highest grossing movie, but Cars 2 was not well liked, dropped significantly from its predecessor, and was the lowest grossing Pixar movie since 1998. Cars 2 was an obvious cash grab for Disney, being made simply because the Cars brand is the most profitable for Disney. I'm hoping that this is not the reason Nemo 2 is being considered; I hope its because they've came up with a stellar idea and theres real passion for the project. Finding Nemo became and still is one of my all time favorites; I saw it at 9 years old, even my bathroom was decked out with Nemo stuff; I hope Disney will really deliver with this project and not disappoint, since this sequel is honestly unnecessary.

    Nemo 2 will most definately be a smash with audiences, as Pixar will probably be more careful with this movie than they were for Cars 2. With inflation, Nemo 2 may be able to overcome its predecessors $340 million total, possibly by a strong margin, but attendance will be extremely hard to be matched. You can also count on Nemo 2 being in 3D. Andrew Stanton is the only person officially signed on; everyone who voiced characters for 2003's Nemo have not, but can you really imagine this project without Ellen Degeneres? No.

The 3D re-release of Finding Nemo also treads into theaters in the fall.

'The Amazing Spider Man' Review

  The Amazing Spider Man is the new release from Columbia Pictures and Marvel, which brings Spider Man back to the big screen after a 5 year hiatus. No, this is not Spider Man 4, but it is no Spider Man 1.2, as some people are portraying it as.

      The Amazing Spider Man features Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Dennis Leary, and Sally Field. It is a reboot for the Spider Man franchise and features the origin story being retold. This is however, still a completely different movie than 2002's Spider Man.

     Amazing Spider Man begins with Peter Parker as a young kid; his parents have to leave him, for a reason we're not presented, and after they leave, it switches to Peter as he is now. Peter is going through high school, living with his aunt and uncle, and crushing on Gwen Stacy. He stumbles upon an old briefcase that belonged to his father. Its like "Scooby Doo" to him; he finds so many new clues that leads him to Oscorp. He investigates and soon encounters Dr. Connors and also gets in closer with Gwen. Obviously, he is bitten by a spider and soon after develops his "spider sense". True to the comics, his web does not shoot out of his arms. As he explores this new found power, he neglects various tasks that he was supposed to do; he also gets into an incident at school which starts to strain his relationship with Uncle Ben. I don't want to go much deeper from here because I don't want to spoil, but in the meantime; Gwen invites him over for dinner, he develops his suit and web shooters, and Dr. Connors regeneration program is shut down, leaving him to try the experiment on himself, which in turn turns him into the Lizard on and off. Peter, knowing that Connors is the Lizard, must now find a way to stop him from terrorizing New York, show the police that Spider Man is not a reckless vigilante with a hidden agenda, and he also throws Gwen into the mix.

     The acting was stellar from the cast. All the main actors brought their A-game. Garfield plays a more "true" Peter Parker and the chemistry between him and Emma Stone is very believable and realistic. The action was also a step above. Spider Man and the Lizard had great chemistry fighting and the scenes were well choreographed. Ranging from the sewers to a high school to the top of Oscorp; the fights provide great action that crowds now a days want to see. You also get scenes with Spider Man trying to evade the NYPD, which makes things interesting.

     Even though an overall a good movie, one of the main faults of Amazing Spider Man was the story. The plot did jump around at times. Dr. Connors went from trying to regenerate his arm to transform New York seemingly fast with little transition. There were also a few plot holes that may make you say, "I knew that was gonna happen" or "I knew it was gonna be that guy." And even though the die hard Spider Man fans who have been waiting for the webslingers return will not be dissapointed in the movie; the average movie goer who doesn't care, they just want to go see something, will probably brush this off as "been there, done that", even though this movie does a well enough job at supplying itself with a new identity. The laws of box office will prevent this movie from reaching the levels domestically or attendance wise of the original, but Amazing Spider Man should do big business with worldwide numbers, thanks to overseas 3D fad, the popularity of the character, and inflation. The movie has obtained an "A-" cinemascore and 74% on RT, so word of mouth should carry this on for a few weeks, but Spider Man may get tangled in his webs when Dark Knight Rises hits on the 20th. Either way, Amazing will finish with amazing numbers and should be able to secure the #3 spot for summer releases.

     The only other release coming out now until Rises is Ice Age 4, which is already out in most other countries, so to all the Americans, you still have plenty of time, check out The Amazing Spider Man, its an overall great movie, and a great way to beat some of the record heat this summer.