Rendy Jones returns to discuss what went right with Focus Features’ Obsession — which actually opened with a $17 million opening weekend, with a very promising 2.46x multiplier— and what went wrong for Is God Is.
Rendy notes how Alisha Harris’ terrific crime melodrama caught between Michael (now at $705 million worldwide) last weekend and presumably Boots Riley’s more explicitely “light” I Love Boosters this coming Memorial Day weekend.
Lisa Laman sings the praises of Orion president Alana Mayo for greenlighting the likes of Till, Women Talking, Hedda, Bottoms, Nickel Boys and American Fiction.
Everyone agrees that Obsession is A) the kind of movie Blumhouse should be distributing and B) another strong example of a well-liked high-concept chiller aimed at present-tense moviegoers, hitting a commercial bullseye.
Everyone also agrees that Mortal Kombat II has become a for-fans-only sequel, while Scott Mendelson wonders if the target demos just spent the weekend catching up on Karl Urban’s The Boys before the (pretty good) series finale.
Listen as family is no more amid heated disagreement over whether The Sheep Detectives’s softer overseas grossers will somewhat mitigate its solid domestic earnings. Jeremy Fuster is more pessimistic and, thus, probably correct.
There are a few minutes spent offering salutes to Michael, Devil Wears Prada 2, Project Hail Mary and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and scorn for In the Grey.
The opening third features quite a bit of Shrek talk, since the first film returned to theaters last weekend for its 25th anniversary. You’ll never believe this, but the general consensus is that Shrek 2 > Shrek the Third!
And yes, there’s another Financial Flashback game, this time based around the highs, lows and “huh?” of 2001.
Recommended Reading (or Listening)…
Scott Mendelson discusses why the best box office comp for The Mandalorian and Grogu is not a Star Wars movie but rather Batman Begins.
Jeremy Fuster interviews Drop Out CEO Sam Reich on Game Changer and more.
Lisa Laman argues that 2009 was an all-time great year for theatrical animation and that corporate consolidation means we won’t get another like it.
Ryan Scott champions the notion that The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is exactly the kind of modern-classic Stephen King book that should be prioritized for feature film adaptation. Here’s hoping Lionsgate optioning the rights (and hiring Strange Darling’s JT Molner to write and direct) bears fruit.
Max Deering pours one out for the 2006 Silent Hill movie.
Rendy Jones champions twenty movies, not just Netflix titles, that damn well deserve physical media releases.
If you like what you hear…
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Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop and Puck News
Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap
Lisa Laman - Dallas Observer, Pajiba, Looper, Comic Book and Autostraddle
Max Deering - Fangoria and Action For Everyone
Rendy Jones - Rendy’s Reviews
