Wednesday, May 11, 2011

BOX OFFICE CHALLENGE 05/13-05/15

Here we are again folks…I’m going to skip the mid-week review to give everyone the opportunity to get their votes in for this week’s…

REEL RHINO’S BOX OFFICE CHALLENGE

THE RULES: So here is what I decided on the box office challenge, folks. For every correct guess, you get 3 points. For every guess within one pick of the movie’s weekend slot gets you 2 points. Finally, two picks away gets you 1 point.

Yeah…if you can’t figure out who is the winner, it isn’t really a contest, right? Any ties will be determined by whoever submitted their picks first…yes, you are correct…I have the home field advantage. Deal with it.

The format will be simple with each week’s challenge. I will post the week’s opening films, the # of screens the film is playing (when known), and the RottenTomatoes.com score, if it has one at the time of the post. I am going to omit listing those movies opening in extreme limited release, because they won’t have the seats to fight for one of the top five slots. Fair enough, agreed?

That will be followed by the top ten from last week. “Choose wisely.” Remember that German commander in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade… it didn’t work out so well for him, learn from his lesson my friends.

The final segment of each week’s contest will be me, offering my picks.

You may submit your picks in one of three ways:

1. Enter your picks in the comments field of the post at BlinkinBlogs.com
2. Enter your picks in the comments field of this post at ReelRhino.com
3. E-mail your picks to ReelRhino@gmail.com

I will compile the week’s entries and post the winners at both BlinkinBlogs and ReelRhino as soon as possible, but hopefully by Monday evening at the latest.

THE PRIZE: For now, my friends, in the humble beginnings of the BOX OFFICE CHALLENGE, the prize is this: the champion of the week will have their selection of any film, which I will watch and review on both sites. Don’t believe me? See also:

Opening This Week
Bridesmaids – 2700 screens (90% on 40 reviews counted)
Priest (3-D) – 2800+ screens (15% on 13 reviews counted)
Everything Must Go – 225 screens (77% on 35 reviews counted)
Go For It - 218 screens (No Score Yet, 1 Rotten Review Counted)
Hesher – 40 screens (70% on 20 reviews counted)

Top Ten From Last Week
1. Thor, $66 million
2. Fast Five, $32.5 million
3. Jumping the Broom, $13.7 million
4. Something Borrowed, $13.2 million
5. Rio, $8.2 million
6. Water for Elephants, $5.6 million
7. Madea’s Big Happy Family, $3.9 million
8. Prom, $2.4 million
9. Soul Surfer, $2.1 million
10. Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil, $1.88 million

Now there are quite a few complexities that exist this week. Let me start by saying that Fast Five has crushed Thor overseas. Not that the foreign market matters in our contest, but I think it reinforces some of what I had to say about the underwhelming nature of Thor. Yes, it is an enjoyable film, but I don’t think it is the powerhouse we expected. So, how will that affect its staying power?

Also…Priest? Priest? I think the Rotten Tomatoes rating speaks to something to which we may have to pay attention. This film was in the can for a 2-D run a year ago and it was postponed for the upconvert. This upconvert thing…sometimes it can be brutal. …but the real question…

Can one of the funniest group of ladies, overcome the God of Thunder, one of the greatest team of street racers ever assembled, and a disgraced vampire killing clergyman?

And what of Will Ferrell in Everything Must Go? They say it’s more serious than funny, so will they come for fewer laughs but definitely a bold trip outside of his comfort zone for Ferrell? Does the underground dance scene have the strength to butt in the mix? For both Everything Must Go and Go For It, besides both containing the word go, I think the fewer number of screens will keep them from edging out last week’s top 5, which will all clearly be in the hunt.

So on to the big show…

REEL RHINO’S PICKS FOR TOP 5
1. Bridemaids
2. Thor
3. Priest
4 Fast Five
5. Jumping the Broom

There you have it folks…take your best shot!

Until later, take care…
Reel Rhino

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