The international box office came to the rescue for numerous films and franchises, often counting for nearly three quarters of their worldwide gross.
Disney continues to produce and use the same kind of fantasy marketing template to attract kids of all ages.
Anchored by its attachment to The Avengers, this new film’s artistic aspirations become irrelevant to domestic reception, since the massive global opening ensures its event status.
The D or F CinemaScore can indicate something potentially subversive about the material, whether intentional or not.
The entirety of the marketing for The Counselor suffers from what I’m calling “prestige-film fallacy.”
These Academy members possess an elementary school understanding of art, where films operate in a purely denotative register.
In what sense, then, is Machete Kills not simply that: a cash-in sequel meant to make fast money?
So, Contagion is the reigning champion—at least, until Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity opens in IMAX 3D this Friday, the first AHB to open in the two-plus years since.
Baggage Claim, the other(ed) wide release this week, will likely be marginalized because of these “higher profile,” male-driven openers.