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Why This Summer's Box Office Sucked

Inception, Toy Story among the few standouts

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 6, 2010 11:40 AM CDT

(Newser) – As summer officially winds to a close, the sad state of the summer box office becomes official: From the first weekend of May through Labor Day, about 552 million headed to multiplexes. That's the lowest figure since 1997, reports the New York Times in a look at the lessons that can be gleaned from 2010. For one, the industry is worried that it’s overplayed the 3D card—Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore didn't exactly set sales records, and the jacked up ticket prices for the 3D experience could be partly to blame.

That may have studios considering which films to release in 3D more carefully. Another misstep may have been emphasizing the release date too much: Though Prince of Persia raked in $330 million worldwide, it was considered a dud because its plastered-everywhere May 28 opening date didn't translate into a mega-opening night. In general, a lot of much-hyped films failed, like Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Sex and the City 2. “You can hype up a movie like crazy,” says one analyst, “but consumers are smart and can smell a con job." Indeed, the brainy Inception was the season's breakout hit, and critical darling Toy Story 3 (click here to see the fawning reviews) was the top earner overall.

Don't shoot Leo; Inception was one of the few movies this summer that didn't bomb.
Don't shoot Leo; Inception was one of the few movies this summer that didn't bomb.   (AP Photo/Warner Bros., Melissa Moseley, File)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 17 comments
YetAnotherCollegeKid
Sep 8, 2010 12:10 AM CDT
I can only agree with the Newser census of 'brilliant' for this post. This is the first time that we as a nation have looked at the movie industry and its very bad filmmaking and said 'yeah, right'. For the first time, we have basically refused to play. The only two standout hits of the entire summer, Inception and Toy Story 3, have been A) highly respectful of our group intelligence and B) genuinely creative. There has been more crap this summer than any time in movie history; more shit has blown up for no good reason, more clothing randomly removed, and more horribly derivative movies produced than ever before (like Jonah Hex, which somehow managed all three). So what can filmmakers take from this? Well, first off, you need good writers. That is the starting point. Writing will break even the best films, and frequently does, but can also turn good movies into great ones (like Casino Royal, for example). Then you need a motivation. No, money won't do it. You need a motivation like 'let's mindfuck the audience' which produced The Matrix, Inception, and Fight Club. Or 'let's make the audience cry and like it' cue Old Yeller, Toy Story 3, and heck, even Titanic. Or maybe go all-in epic, like The Lord of the Rings or Gone with the Wind. Whatever you do, you are going to need brilliant writers, a director who has a personal vision for the film, and at least competent actors. You want our money, Hollywood? Give us fair trade for it.
shopgirl1623
Sep 7, 2010 12:45 PM CDT
I wish Hollywood producers would read this stuff. I live a matter of blocks from a multiplex theater, and I resit going because of Netflix. Great movies streaming, the kind of films that should be on movie screens and aren't, for the simple fact that, like big box stores, producers what big box movies, homogenized, stale, slap 'em with what worked last year material. -- Movies are modern literature, and until they put their money behind a great story, rather than a great star or whatever, they need an entertaining story. Bank the writers first. You build it and we will come!!!!
zaglossus
Sep 7, 2010 10:08 AM CDT
Why anybody still wastes time and money going to a movie house is beyond me. Wait a few months and you can see them on DVD or streamed in high quality in the comfort of your home - pause to go to the bathroom, eat popcorn with real butter, save money, etc.

 
box office • summer movies • Sex and the City 2 • Toy Story 3 • Inception • The Other Guys

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