Eric Prime

I mean you answered your own question right there. Nobody should pay attention to people who use Facebook unironically.

Are people calling it a flop?

Moderation This Dune legs discussion seems more appropriate to the actual Dune 2 thread, no? We should move the convo over there.

Dude, the bit's old. Just no.

For those who know OS box office well, what's this looking to finish at? I know Japan hasn't opened, but I think every other major country has. Was curious to see how it would stack up to Wish's OS total (185.9M and counting)

I was unprepared too and it was all for the better. So many of the twists in this had me HOWLING. This movie was made for sickos like me.

#27 Princess Mononoke 1,347 points, 18 lists " Life is suffering. It is hard. The world is cursed. But still, you find reasons to keep living." Box Office: 194.3M Rotten Tomatoes: 93% Metacritic: 76 Awards: 3 Mainichi Film Awards, 2 Japan Academy Film Prizes, 1 Annie Award nomination Roger Ebert's Review: "Hayao Miyazaki is a great animator, and his "Princess Mononoke" is a great film. Do not allow conventional thoughts about animation to prevent you from seeing it. It tells an epic story set in medieval Japan, at the dawn of the Iron Age, when some men still lived in harmony with nature and others were trying to tame and defeat it. It is not a simplistic tale of good and evil, but the story of how humans, forest animals and nature gods all fight for their share of the new emerging order. It is one of the most visually inventive films I have ever seen." Its Legacy: The highest-grossing film in Japan until Titanic. The highest-grossing Japanese film until Spirited Away. Helped boost popularity and recognition of Studio Ghibli in the West. Influenced the themes and characters of Avatar. The first Ghibli film to be dubbed into English by Disney. Considered one of the greatest Ghibli movies and animated movies of all time. Gave Minnie Driver a paycheck. Commentary: While not a big hit in the West (though obviously it was huge in Japan), Princess Mononoke was many viewers’ big introduction to the famed works of Hayao Miyazaki. And because Miyazaki told Harvey to fuck off and say “no cuts” to his masterpiece, this became a film that turned many into diehard Ghibli nerds, thanks to the stunning animation and powerful storytelling. One that depicts man vs. nature, man vs. man, and, in a way, man vs. self. And it’s the storytelling of Mononoke that is the most captivating. Within the "movies people are mad Avatar stole from but not really" subgenre, this is perhaps the most layered and dense when it comes to the subject matter. The common way these films are made is typically a black and white conflict. Which isn't an inherently bad thing. Yet this film makes the bold decision to not have a clear antagonist. Prince Ashitaka, forest dweller San, and industrialist Lady Eboshi all have likable attributes to them and clear set goals that are relatable and sympathetic. But they all have disagreeable and vindictive sides to them. Ashitaka is largely unbiased in the fight between man and the nature gods, but he's really only in this battle for selfish reasons, to be free of a curse put upon by outside forces. San cares for the world she lives in and has a strong spiritual side, but she hates humanity with a passion, and will gladly kill innocents on the belief she is doing the right thing. Lady Eboshi has destroyed nature due to her industrialization and creation of weapons, but also does this because she clearly wants to support her community that's full of sick lepers. It's a fight between humanity vs. nature, but one that's full of tough conflicts. Is destroying the beauty and wonder of our homeland worth keeping people alive and working? Or is humanity worth killing after how much we've already killed the natural world? There's no real answer to give, because the film itself doesn't want to give that answer. These are all characters with distinct backgrounds and passions that it's hard to say there is any right or wrong. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't find that a problem. I'm largely not a fan of the "both sides" mantra. Both in real life and in media. It largely excuses actual horrible people and their atrocities and implies they are the same level as people who genuinely care and want to do good. It's gross centrist behavior that rewards evil. And having this trotted out in a film is propaganda to keep the "both sides" belief that is literally killing our world. Still, I would be lying if this movie didn't make me think. Think about how complicated our world can be and think about how tough it is to be in a terrible, life or death situation where compromise is impossible. And there are few movies that have really gotten into my head and look at a conflict that, frankly, is very basic in most films and in my own head, and thus unravel it as something with a lot more depth and grayness that I sometimes try to ignore And in that regard, a film that recontextualizes my own views...that's what art should strive to be. And I guess that means, even if I don't entirely agree with its philosophies and mantras...that I love it.

#28 Fantasia 1,343 points, 22 lists "Classical music intensifies" Box Office: 76.4-83.3M Rotten Tomatoes: 95% Metacritic: 96 Awards: 2 Academy Honorary Awards Roger Ebert's Review: "If there's one thing the book makes clear, it's that there's a lot more to animation than just drawing little animals and cartoon characters and having them hop around. The artists experimented for weeks with the fairy sequence, and eventually used a whole arsenal of techniques to get the desired effects: not only straightforward drawing and traditional animation, but foreground and background matte paintings, gels, trick dissolves, multilayered paintings and other special effects. The effortless magic of the sequence hardly suggests the painstaking work that went into it." Its Legacy: Ranked #5 on National Board of Review's Top Ten Films of 1940. One of the 45 "great films" determined by the Vatican. #58 on AFI's Top 100 Movies. Earned numerous controversies for racist caricatures and partial nudity. Earned a sequel in 2000. "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" would become one of the most beloved and iconic Mickey Mouse cartoons of all time and saw a live-action adaptation. Parodied by Looney Tunes and The Simpsons. Became the highest-selling VHS of all time for a while. Considered a definitive example of animation, its artistry, and what the medium can achieve. Commentary: Easily Disney’s most experimental and out there feature of the bunch, there is not one other movie like Disney’s Fantasia. Even its sequel Fantasia 2000 isn’t really like this 1940 masterpiece. The film is famed for combining the wonders of Disney animation with classic music composed by Leopold Stokowski. There’s no real narrative per se, but rather a series of animated segments all themed around one piece of music. Sometimes the segments have a plot, sometimes they don’t. Some of these are sillier, some of these are more serious. Some focus on characters, others are on an environment or even the passage of time. And man oh man, is this something glorious. This is a film that shows the beauty of not just how animation can craft incredible stories and imaginative scenarios, but also how music on its own can create a mood, feeling, and experience. Just a few notes can create a story and be the basis for something profound and emotionally gripping. This is a film that reminds us that internal character drama and epic stories can be great. But sometimes, something as simple as the changing of the season or the falling of leaves can be just as, if not more powerful. Sadly, this was an experimental piece that didn’t really work out financially. It cost a fortune to make, lost a ton of money in its initial release, and any hopes of a follow-up, which Disney hoped to do, was dashed in favor of conventional storytelling. And while package films like Fantasia would exist in the 1940s when Disney was trying to get money after they lost tons from World War II, those films were far cheaper and far less ambitious than Fantasia. And honestly, films like Fantasia will never really hit the same for younger audiences who are more into Snow White or Lion King. But in a way, I guess that makes this all the more special. This is a film that boasts itself as one of, if not the most unique piece of animation in the Disney Animation feature film canon, and it’s a film that is still dazzling and enchanting all these years later. Everything happens for a reason I suppose

#29 Tangled 1,339 points, 31 lists "Frying pans... who knew, right?" Box Office: 592.5M Rotten Tomatoes: 89% Metacritic: 71 Awards: 1 Academy Award nomination, 2 Annie Award nominations, 2 Golden Globe Award nominations, 1 Grammy Award and 1 nomination Roger Ebert's Review: N/A Its Legacy: One of Walt Disney Animation Studios' highest grossing films. The most expensive animated movie of all time. The eighth-biggest movie of 2010. Rapunzel would join the Disney Princess line. Earned a stage show on the Disney Cruise Line. Appeared in Kingdom Hearts. Earned a television series in 2017. Gave Brad Garrett a paycheck. Commentary: If The Princess and the Frog started Disney Animation’s Revival era of classics, Tangled solidified it was here to stay. Like its princess predecessor, Tangled was the perfect blend of contemporary and classical. Taking all the elements we love from Disney, their artistry, their humor, their lovable characters, while still modernizing them to fit with then-current beliefs and values and styles. Even modernizing from the writing and conventions of the 90s Disney movies. What results is a fanciful, highly creative, and sweet-hearted princess story that also allows interesting insights into emotional abuse and the importance of love and human connection. The film boasts two great leads in Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. Both fit the typical princess and prince conventions. A sheltered woman who wants more from life, a dashing hero who doesn’t realize he wants love until the end. It’s standard stuff, but both the strong voiceover performances and distinct personalities the two share allow for great banter and incredible chemistry, with a romance that is easy to root for and empahtize with. Meanwhile, the typical evil stepmother role is given a lot more dimension with writing that focuses on microaggressions and emotional manipulation. Subjects that only now are being dissected in terms of how parents abuse their children with them. Sometimes even by accident. All of this is also wrapped up in some utterly stunning animation. The film was designed to look like a painting come to life, resulting in warm and lush colors that still looks amazing over a decade later. In fact, the film looked so good, being faithful to classic Disney while also strikingly modern, that it would be the template for nearly every Disney CGI movie since then. It led to some complaints in recent years, but you can’t deny it’s a style that works and has a lot of personality. The film ushered in a new era of Disney Animation, it’s a huge fan favorite with kids and adults today, it has become a very sturdy and powerful franchise in the Disney Princess empire, and continues to serve as one of the most important and loved Disney movies ever. You only get movies as good as this every couple of decades.

#139 - Return to Oz (312 points, 6 lists) #138 - Ponyo (320 points, 12 lists) #137 - Cool Runnings (322 points, 8 lists) #136 - Gangs of New York, The Insider (325 points, 7 lists, avg. ranking #48) #135 - Bridge of Spies (329 points, 7 lists) #134 - Remember the Titans (332 points, 8 lists) #133 - Crimson Tide (337 points, 7 lists) #132 - Armageddon (342 points, 9 lists) #131 - Onward (352 points, 10 lists)

Yeah that was hilarious. Not sure why Focus just dumped the movie unceremoniously like this.

Moderation Not the Ghostbusters/Godzilla thread.

lol what is going on with these budgets these days

https://deadline.com/2024/02/box-office-bob-marley-one-love-demon-slayer-madame-web-1235835359/

https://deadline.com/2024/02/box-office-bob-marley-one-love-demon-slayer-madame-web-1235835359/

This weekend is looking to be super super boring (doubt we'll even get reports on Ordinary Angels/Drive-Away Dolls' previews today), so I'll just spew out my hot takes for the rest of the year. Just so we can have something interesting to argue over. I thought Ghostbusters was going sub-100 for the longest time. Felt like there was just no big, exciting hook compared to the last two movies, unless you’re a hardcore Ghostbusters fan. And said fans are generally old white guys who just don’t go to the movies much anymore. But Quorum data and BOP tracking, which I know isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, indicates a potential 40M+ opening. Maybe even 50M+. I guess that checks out since Afterlife was coming out during peak Omicron, which for sure had its impacts. Assuming the budget isn’t that larger, I guess that means we’ll get another one of these. Godzilla X Kong meanwhile I think might just scrape to about 110M. Maybe even 105M. That also has the same problem Ghostbusters has where the hook is really only exciting to Monsterverse fans. And while King Kong is obviously a bigger deal, KOTM shows that a bunch of CGI kaiju beasts hitting each other doesn't mean instant big bucks or appeal to the normies. Should still beat out Godzilla vs. Kong thanks to no COVID and no HBO Max, but still not that great. Oh, and Kung Fu Panda should easily hit 100M and be second for the month. I don't think that's a hot take, but...yeah. Civil War and Challengers should do solid business for the kinds of movies that they are. So like 25M, maybe 30M for Civil War and about 40M for Challengers? Helps that A24 and tennis/Zendaya are bigger than ever. And I guess with recent news, Civil War is topical? Or maybe you could argue its issue is its too inaccurate to the actual events. I dunno. Still pretty bummed that Challengers didn’t launch in September, since its festival buzz and Coco Gauff hype would have probably made 50M+ easier to get to. Weird MGM didn't try to plop Challengers at Berlin or something to get some easy buzz and early good reviews out. Monkey Man though? I’m gonna be bold and say it grosses 80M+. Universal gave it Super Bowl treatment, you got Peele’s name attached, John Wick-style action movies are hot, it’s getting a SXSW premiere. There’s a good sense of confidence in this that makes me think it will really break out. Maybe even 100M with such a quiet April? Within the summer lineup, I’m seeing about 11 movies crossing 100M. Which sounds low, but it’s only 2 less than what we got last year, so...not the worst? And maybe something sneaks up that we didn’t expect. Though if we get a 12th movie this summer reaching it, my money’s on Alien: Romulus. I know the franchise isn’t in a good spot, but there’s a solid director in charge, horror fandom’s very loyal, and it doesn’t seem to be going for the weird BS that Ridley Scott was going for, but just a solid, back to basics survival story, which is really what the fans want IMO. In a dead August like this, it can go a long way. Even Prey’s big success on streaming seems like a good sign both in terms of franchise popularity and fandom reassurance IMO. Still gunning for Inside Out 2 to be the biggest movie of the summer and of the year, with at least 400M+. Feel like it, Despicable Me, and Deadpool will be the only 300M+ grossers this summer, with a whole sea of 100/200s. That’s basically what we got last year, so I guess that’s fine. Horizon 1 and 2 are also potential 100M+ grossers, but I'm also a little shaky with the whole "only appeals to old white guys" thing. But on the other hand, Yellowstone's the biggest thing on TV, so maybe that's enough to get that audience hyped? Just seems like something where these movies could make 30M or 150M and neither would surprise me. I’m not sure how most are feeling over Furiosa, but that sadly feels like it will disappoint from expectations and gross like 110M or something. The trailer came and went and was kind of divisive even among Fury Road fans, and they aren’t really doing much else to advertise it right now (still early though I guess). Plus both Fall Guy and Planet of the Apes will come out prior to serve as solid action competition and both are looking pretty good in terms of online buzz and marketing push. Quorum awareness is also really bad for Furiosa. But in its defense, Dune 2's awareness was really bad up until very recently...but that movie is also coming out at a huge lull for box office. In hindsight, maybe they should have tried to just make a regular Mad Max movie with Tom Hardy again? Joker 2’s still going for a gross on par with the first movie IMO. The second the trailer drops and we see Gaga as Harley Quinn, buzz will be through the roof. Disney’s very stupid and loves to stick to release dates they really should just leave behind. But if they were smart, they should push Moana 2 up to November 1. Or November 8 if Venom 3 isn’t ready and/or its release date gets replaced by Bad Boys 4. People here are dogging on Wicked and how bad it looks, but it looks no different from most of the Disney remakes, which have been reliable performers, and is direct competition for families and especially Disney Adults. And at this point, even Disney Adults aren't too hot on Disney movies. If Moana really does have the look and feel of a direct-to-video sequel as its weird production seemingly implies, it will get creamed by Wicked. At least by putting it up a few weeks with little to no competition, it can have time to itself and potentially get some IMAX/Dolby, which is the most crucial thing for success in today's market. Wicked also would be good as the splashy Christmas musical for the season, but I also understand wanting to follow the Frozen playbook. And thankfully, December looks really strong with Sonic and Lord of the Rings and Karate Kid. Sonic’s gonna hit Wonka numbers thanks to Shadow, which would be mad impressive for this franchise to keep gaining from the last movie. Though yeah, I can’t imagine what else they can do with Sonic 4 afterwards, since Shadow’s the last character you can really push as a big selling point. Mufasa meanwhile will have an Alice 2-style drop, which...I mean, it’s better than a Marvels-style drop. Don’t think I have any other big hot takes to share.

#30 Moana 1,322 points, 32 lists "When you use a bird to write with, it's called tweeting." Box Office: 687.2M Rotten Tomatoes: 96% Metacritic: 81 Awards: 2 Academy Award nominations, 2 Annie Awards and 4 nominations, 2 Empire Award nominations, 1 Grammy Award and 1 nomination, 1 NAACP Image Award nomination Roger Ebert's Review: N/A Its Legacy: The final Disney film of John Musker and Ron Clements. The highest-selling home video of 2017. One of the highest-grossing Walt Disney Animation Studios movies ever. Part of the Disney Princess lineup. One of the most-viewed films on Disney+ and on streaming every single year. Made Lin-Manuel Miranda a major player at Disney. Has a major presence in the Disney theme parks. A television series sequel is set for release. A live-action remake is in the works. Gave Jemaine Clement a paycheck. Commentary: This Polynesian adventure is the epic swan song for John Musker and Ron Clements, the directing duo behind iconic Disney hits like Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Princess and the Frog. And ending on your biggest hit ever? One that has become a massive part of the Disney empire with a giant franchise and merchandise still selling like hot cakes? One adored by kids and adults alike as one of Disney’s absolute bests? That’s a good high note to end things on. It’s such a bouncy, dynamic, fun animated feature. One that boasts great characters, from the brave, fearless Moana to the fun-loving goofball Maui, to the stupid chicken, to the glamorous crab monster Tamatoa. It’s a film with utterly stunning, gorgeous animation, with incredible water effects that still look incredible even today, and stunning hair physics. Amazing character acting, great voice acting, great jokes. Just an all-around great feature. But what really elevates the film is the music. Courtesy of America’s Sweetheart Lin-Manuel Miranda, the tunes are bouncy, cleverly written, incredibly catchy, and bring so much personality and heart to the story. The epic islander song “Where You Are”, the all-timer “I Want” song with “How Far I’ll Go”, the hilarious rap “You’re Welcome”. Every single tune lands and makes the experience all the better and has done a ton to make this princess tale a favorite across the world. Will the sequel deliver the goods this Thanksgiving? We won’t know until then, but it’s got a high bar to meet, that much is certain.

#31 Captain America: The Winter Soldier 1,313 points, 18 lists "Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?" Box Office: 714.4M Rotten Tomatoes: 90% Metacritic: 70 Awards: 1 Academy Award nomination, 11 Saturn Award nominations, 1 Empire Award nomination, 2 MTV Movie Award nominations, Roger Ebert's Review: N/A Its Legacy: Brought Joe and Anthony Russo to the MCU. Solidified Captain America/Steve Rogers as one of the most crucial and beloved MCU characters. Introduced HYDRA, Sam Wilson/Falcon, and Winter Soldier to the franchise. Considered one of, if not the best film of Phase 2. Gave Garry Shandling a paycheck. Commentary: Ladies and gentlemen, the film that took the MCU and the Infinity Saga from a 10 to an 11. Not just in all the epic plot developments that advanced the main story, not just in bringing in the golden boys of Joe and Anthony Russo to the MCU, but in creating layers of depth and intrigue to the universe. Showing that things aren’t black and white like Steve Rogers, and the audience for that matter, thought it was with the other movies. The film focuses on government conspiracy and secrecy. Specifically how it takes a toll on somebody who used to serve as the face of said government and blindly believed what he was taught. It’s a movie that deconstructs the boy scout narrative that Captain America has had for so long, while also celebrating the virtues and honesty and power that the mantle has. Yes, our government is not very truthful and honest, but we can still push for and fight for the values supposedly parroted by our leaders and use it in our own ways. It added tons of layers to Steve, made him more identifiable to audiences, and helped elevate Rogers and Chris Evans’ performance for that matter as some of the best work in comic book movie history. Then of course, you have ScarJo returning as Black Widow, giving us a better Black Widow movie than the actual Black Widow movie we got seven years later, the introduction of Falcon and Winter Soldier, both of whom have become fan favorites and major shipping foils to Steve, and some of the hardest, toughest, strongest action seen in an MCU movie. It’s through these fun elements mixed in with the serious and complex that it elevated and matured the MCU into something even greater than what came before. Without it, Marvel wouldn’t be the same. So thank goodness it’s here.

#32 Avengers: Infinity War 1,292 points, 23 lists "Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same." Box Office: 2.052B Rotten Tomatoes: 85% Metacritic: 68 Awards: 1 Academy Award nomination, 1 Annie Award nomination, 1 BAFTA Award nomination, 1 Grammy Award nomination, 3 MTV Movie Award nominations Roger Ebert's Review: N/A Its Legacy: The fourth movie and first superhero movie to reach $2 billion. The fourth-biggest film of all time on its release. One of the most expensive movies ever made. Features one of the biggest cliffhangers in movie history. Had one of the biggest, most-viewed ad campaigns and trailers in movie history. Memed to death literally everywhere. Gave Josh Brolin a paycheck. Commentary: Cramming six different superheroes into one movie seemed like a crazy idea. But then the Russos and Papa Feige did the unthinkable and added in every superhero in almost every other Marvel movie that came out. And while they were at it, might as well throw in Peter Dinklage, because why the fuck not? And yet somehow, despite all the cramming and overstuffedness, despite all the headaches this could have potentially caused, Infinity War somehow worked. Really worked. Smartly grouping the heroes into three different groups in the narrative, we got ourselves an epic farce of superheroics, with numerous people butting heads and playing off one another, a lot of great story and character arcs, and tons of fun action and character moments. Then of course in the middle of it all is Thanos. The big scary purple dude who was hyped up to kingdom come for tons of movies finally got to show off to the people what he’s all about. And serving as somebody who is menacing and fierce, all that teasing and hype was worth it. He’s also sympathetic to some, with people saying he was right all along in killing half of humanity...those people are wrong, so...yeah. And of course, there’s the ending. With Thanos actually victorious and half of humanity wiped out, it was a shocker of a finale. Sure, we all know the heroes are coming back, but it’s about the journey, not the destination. And it was still a huge cliffhanger that hit people emotionally and got them hyped for the big Avengers finale. To some, that ending solidified the film as one of the best Marvel movies ever. Better than Endgame. But did BOT think it was better than Endgame. Well...yeah. I know I’m spoiling things, but...we’re already so far into this list that...come on, you know it made the top 100. So...yeah. But hey! This is still a movie y’all were passionate over.

#150 - The Aristocats (276 points, 8 lists) #149 - Signs (277 points, 6 lists) #148 - Cars (278 points, 10 lists) #147 - Wendy (291 points, 5 lists) #146 - Doctor Strange (293 points, 11 lists) #145 - 101 Dalmatians (1996) (293 points, 6 lists) #144 - Bedknobs and Broomsticks (294 points, 7 lists) #143 - Life is Beautiful (295 points, 5 lists) #142 - Bringing Out the Dead (298 points, 6 lists) #141 - Pocahontas (299 points, 8 lists)

😐 These studios really don't care anymore lmao

omg so brave 🙄