So can Pirates even appraoch this?????

[katerkat]

Originally posted by BRERALEX
they should look at the nightcrawler opening scene for x2 to know you dont need techno music in every scene to make it cool.

oooh, that was SOOOO COOL!!! Loved that scene!! BAMF! And the plane scene! BAMF!

Ahem.

Er, KWVIKING -- you're right, I forgot about The Hulk. But I did say the POTC wouldn't crack the top five, and named only three movies, so...

And I've read mixed reviews for Matrix 2, too. I think the problem is part over-anticipation. I'm not looking forward to seeing it this weekend, so maybe I'll be surprised.

 

[TheSecondCook]

Well, as far as the original subject matter of this post (will Pirates do the kind of numbers Matrix did), I believe it will do decent numbers and at least make back its budget. Summer films are notoriously expensive to make (usually epic action films with lots of sfx and name stars), yet bring in the people in droves looking for mindless excitement and entertainment. As long as it is at least entertaining and watchable, it's got 100 mil domestic pegged. I think it all really dpends on what the critics say...if they say that Pirates isn't any good, people will remember Cutthroat ISland as well as recent Disney flops (ie Country Bears) and not come to the theater. If it gets at least average reviews, that will be enough incentive for everyoen to see it and see their childhood Disney memories projected on the big screen. I also think it will be somewhat familyfriendly, which the Matrix certainly is not.

As far as the debate on what other movies this summer can get close to Matrix, well T3 and the Hulk might. Like I said everyone likes a rollercoaster action film, so T3 will rule its weekend regardless. Arnold + hot naked girl + explosions usually equates to box office success. IT doesn't have the hype surrounding it that the Matrix had, though. Hulk on the other hand...well, Marvel's riding high right now. With the success of Spiderman, X2 (which I saw three times openign weekend and probably is now my favorite movie) and even Daredevil, people expect quality from Marvel films and for the most part receive it. The Hulk is probably the most beloved and famous Marvel hero next to Spidey, so I imagine if anyone's getting close to the MAtrix it's the Green Meanie.

As far as the Matrix Reloaded, I disliked it. Tremendously. I'm not such a huge fan of the original that I was psyched beyond belief for this one and let down by this one like many people suggest. Simply put, the Matrix Reloaded was a movie with a shell of a story to showcase sub-par special effects, numerous fight scenes with no edge and little originality, forced attraction between Trinity and Neo (for the ladies) and muddled, psychological and philosdphical nonsence (unlike the first which was an interesting take on Plato's "Shadow on the Wall" parable). Not to mention the worst screenplay and dialogue this side of George Lucas (ie-"You can't no a man until you fight him" and the whole Neo/Architect spiel).

OH well, bring on Spidey 2 and X3 and I'll be happy.

 

[KNWVIKING]

Bottom line is that this weekend will tell the tale. With all the surrounding hype it was almost a certainly that the opening weekend would be monster. The quality of the movie and all the positive or negative buzz it creates will determine it's future. Matrix seems almost like a Star Wars or even Star Trek type movie: Some people have an almost cult like fasination with them and regardless of quality will flock to it,( Gee kinda remind you of anyone, ie Dis fanatics). And I also believe the R-Rating will hurt it in the long run, at least until the video is released.

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by BRERALEX
Azkaban looks to be way to complicated to be put into 3 hours. How can they incorporate everything without sacrificing alot? Sirius black the azkaban gaurds, wormtail, hagrids new class, Hermoine and the clock. the ending to Azkaban alone could be an hour.

That is the beauty of the screen. What takes a chapter to playout in the book can sometimes be just as well done with 5 minutes of screen time. Azkaban is really not introduced in detail until Goblet anway.

 

[PatriciaH]

LOVED The Matrix-did not love Reloaded. I wanted to but really could not. The CGI was awful in parts of the Smith fight scene. It dragged at points. Too bad. Nightcrawler (X2) on the other hand-WOW!

 

[Bob O]

I would agree with hb2k!!!
From the coming attractions for Hulk it seemed IMHO to be very fake and inferoir cgi ala The scorpion King cgi in Mummy Returns.
As for the Matirx Reloaded i thought it was an excellant movie and from the people i have spoken too i have heard no negative complaints overall about the movie and most are looking forward to seeing it again as i am!!!
I dont think the new LOTR movie will have any effect on the 3rd Matrix as they are beling released about 6 weeks away from each other.
T3 looks excellant from the previews but i hope it doesnt suffer because Cameron isnt involved.
Now i am looking forward to Pirates but wasnt the coast of this movie also over 100 million ??? So with marketing etc if wont be much cheaper overalll than the Matix Reloaded and wilkl be released with more competition in front of the movie than the Matrix has had.
As for potter, the second made less than the first and little reason to believe the third will out do or equal the other movies.

 

[Another Voice]

Actually the rumors are that Warner Brothers is disappointed in the opening weekend of The Matrix Reloaded. They thought they had a real chance to beat Spider-man but that too many theaters were too strict about enforcing the movie’s “R” rating (slightly off topic – how did Matrix get an “R” for a rave party scene but seventy minutes of people being disemboweled only got X-Men 2 a PG-13?). Given the less than favorable critical reception there are going to be a lot of focus groups spending a lot of time looking at The Matrix Revolutions to “fix” that movie in time.

Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Red Ink has absolutely no hope of being that big of a blockbuster. There are only two ways of getting a megahit: you get a bunch of fourteen year olds to see the movie a dozen times each (as in Titanic) or you get the people who only go out to the movies once a year to all go together (as in My Big Fat Greek Wedding).

Given the immediate competition from The Hulk, Terminator 3 and others the number of fourteen year boys wanting to see Johnny Depp swish it up as a pirate may be very limited. And girls/women do not go to a movie en mass to see the lead star. No one was bigger than Leo diWhathisname after Titanic – and not a single one of his fans showed up a few months later to watch him in The Beach. The rule of thumb is men go to a movie for the actress, women go to the movie for the character. Think about – men have their magazines, women tend toward romance novels. Orlando Bloom may have his following, but if the movie doesn’t work than he won’t save it (but every guy is going to see Tomb Raider 2 even though the first one was awful because the movie has two very strong points working in its favor).*

There are subtle rumors that Disney is trying to downplay the expectations for Pirates. Because of the production and marketing costs, this movie will need to gross over $250+ million in just the U.S. to hope to break even (and that number is low because it counts in international and home video sales). The very last thing Eisner wants now is more bad press about another Treasure Planet sized failure; he’s still trying to get through all the rubble caused by Reign of Fire, The Recruit, Bad Company, Atlantis, and other blunders.

Eisner got caught in his usually trap. In awe of the gobs of money to be made he spent foolishly trying for the big prize. But then he spent so much that he had to spend even more to protect his investment. And then that caused him to spend even more because the stakes are so high that a failure could be disastrous. It’s the same trap he fell into with Pearl Harbor and stretching all the way back to Dick Tracy. He just never learns.


P.S. – You think that was an impressive opening weekend, just wait until year’s end when The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King opens. You thought the other two were good…get in line now.


P.S.S. There are whispers around that if Pirates does well enough not to embarrass the concept of ride movies that someone has already been assigned to write Mission:

 

[Planogirl]

Has anyone ever seen the actual demographic of those who saw Titanic? The only persons I know who saw it a dozen times were female but far older than 14. But I don't know how typical that is.

I really believe that the female appeal of Pirates will depend a lot on how the film was made. There is something very romantic about the so-called good swashbuckler but who knows if Disney used that to their advantage? I think of Errol Flynn and to a lesser degree Robert Shaw and I can see that a character could be developed that would appeal to several demographics, IF it was done right. But then it always seems to come down to that.

Oh well, I'm waiting VERY eagerly for LOTR. The Hulk looks a bit too odd to me in the trailers so I'm not that enthusiastic.

 

[d-r]

I think that rotk will have huge numbers, but it will be harder for it to have weekend numbers because it opens during the holidays when people spread out going to the movies through the week, not just on the weekend. Matrix weekend benefited from opening when school is still in and people go to movies on the weekend.

DR

 

[year2late]

Matrix 2 left me high and dry. The action was good. Pseudoending sucked wind.

I have seen the Pirates trailer and I am intrigued...I will definitly see it.

 

[*Robin*]

Originally posted by Another Voice

Think about – men have their magazines, women tend toward romance novels.

OT I know, but this is a really harsh generalization of women...LOL...

YOUCH!

Truly, not all of us sit around reading (heck, what was that guys name with the long hair and butter commercials?) airbrush covered books and eat bonbons. I do think most women go for more meat in a movie than action, but that's a generalization too...

Robin
(hehehe, this from a person that has "hopeless romatic" in her tag line...ohhh the irony!)

 

[BRERALEX]

it's matrixes own fault it got an R rating. In the rave scene which i dont like calling it a rave scene they didnt have to show womens &!**l* they could have avoided that. Keanu's butt didnt have to be shown if they were gonna show a butt it should have been Moss' and they didnt have to throw around F bombs for no reason then to just throw them. like at the meeting in the beginning when they hear the sentinels are drilling down, a guys says the MF bomb and it felt like for no reason then to be cool and say it.

X2 threw around the S word and probably the most fitting by wolverine discovering Lady Deathstrike had adimantium as well as he. Matrix didnt just have the 'rave' scene for the R rating the also had the 'piece' of cake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wooooooooooo

 

[darla]

i havn't posted here in a while for one reason. I am tired of people dogging movies or anything else just because it isn't disney. For example, on this page people are saying this movie is getting mixed reviews. Go to rottentomatoe.com 75 percent of the critics in the country enjoyed matrix 2 and that's tough to do. Everyone knows how picky critics are.

2nd issue i am a big fan of matrix and there is a very big story going on although @ times a bit confusing, but more detail than the first flick.


3rd issue. be original. I am tired of reading peoples opinions on topics just to find out these opinions are coming from other reviewers or are just other peoples opinions.


this movie rocked...Maybe not as good as the first. but how could it be. the first film brought up an original topic and this film just carried out with the ideas.


Still better thanany other piece of garbage you will see this summer or last. (spiderman-please-horrible,mummy-medicre but entertaining,t-3(so good james cammeron wanted nothing to do with this project)

great movie. great franchise in a long time.

 

[katerkat]

I agree with BRERALEX -- language and violence got Matrix its R rating. Honestly, I only remember ONE curse in all of X2. And the violence wasn't really that bad, other than Wolverine's fight with Deathstrike, and even then there was no blood. The battle scene at Helm's Deep in TTT was worse! There was no sex, no nudity -- even all the important parts of Rebecca Rojimin-Stamos was covered, much to my DH's chagrin.
I have yet to see Matrix 2, but if it's anything like the original... It deserves an R rating.

BTW, Entertainment Weekly gave X2 a B+ and Matrix 2 a B.

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by darla

this movie rocked...Maybe not as good as the first. but how could it be. the first film brought up an original topic and this film just carried out with the ideas.

So in your view no sequel can be as good or better then the first?

Many people consider Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek II to be the best movies in those franchises ever made. Both are sequels.

i havn't posted here in a while for one reason. I am tired of people dogging movies or anything else just because it isn't disney.

Thats not the News and Rumors board that I know and love. Stick around things have changed.

 

[EUROPA]

..just for refrence...

Critics Report Card Overall Grade: B

SOURCE BRIEF REVIEW GRADE*
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Steve Murray "Plug in. Again. But be prepared for some glitches in the software." more... B-

Chicago Sun-Times
Roger Ebert "It is an immensely skillful sci-fi adventure..." more... A-

Chicago Tribune
Mark Caro "The new movie is bloated and sprawling where its predecessor was sleek and lean..." more... C

Cincinnati Enquirer
Margaret A. McGurk "Even though the Wachowskis don't hit every target they set for themselves, their unmatched commitment yields grand, memorable entertainment." more... B

E! Online "...the second Matrix movie is one of those rare sequels that's bigger and better than the first." more... A-

filmcritic.com
Christopher Null "...Reloaded kicks ***..." more... B+

Hollywood Reporter
Kirk Honeycutt "...storytelling stumbles frequently this outing as the movie stops cold for philosophical digressions about fate and destiny and reality." more... C

Los Angeles Times
Kenneth Turan "...lacks emotional power and doesn't live up to its predecessor." more... C+

New York Post
Lou Lumenick "...while it's exhilarating fun, as an overall piece of storytelling, this reboot never really hits the heights of the ultra-cool The Matrix..." more... B

New York Times
Elvis Mitchell "...there is a dispiriting more-of-the-same aspect to the picture." more... C+

ReelViews
James Berardinelli "...does an admirable job of filling the niche it's supposed to – that of an action-oriented science fiction adventure." more... B

Rolling Stone
Peter Travers "Loved the idea of a sequel to The Matrix, hated the hit-and-miss execution." more... B

San Francisco Chronicle
Carla Meyer "Turns out the first Matrix was the One, but the second is still loads of fun." more... B+

Seattle Post-Intelligencer
William Arnold "Above all, Reloaded does what few sequels ever manage to do: expand its premise in an exciting and unexpected way." more... B+

USA Today
Mike Clark "...Reloaded seems less tired than X2, its current sequel rival." more... B

 

[wdwguide]

My personal opinion is that Reloaded was a great movie that was terribly edited. Naturally, things may make more sense after the third movie comes out; but it may take a director's cut or a fan edit to improve on the timing. My main issue is that the first part of the movie served pretty much nothing but to set up a series of fight sequences that were all spectacle and no substance.

 

[BRERALEX]

SPOILER WARNING SPOILERS X2 AND MATRIX

My personal opinion is that Reloaded was a great movie that was terribly edited. Naturally, things may make more sense after the third movie comes out; but it may take a director's cut or a fan edit to improve on the timing. My main issue is that the first part of the movie served pretty much nothing but to set up a series of fight sequences that were all spectacle and no substance.

I didnt think of it that way which it might have been cause of the editing. I usually dont dog out a film till i see it three times. X2 i saw at a midnight showing the day it came out. I was so thrilled i saw it the next day. I havent seen a film two days in a row in a long time. technically it was the same day midnight of that day and then like 11pm the same day. Then two days later i took my son. Matrix i saw it 10pm wednesday and it left me so wanting more that i waited like 5 days which is alot for me. both times i waited the credits out for the revolutions preview and i cant bring myslef to watch it a third time. The pacing is horrible.

The fact that you have to buy the video game to 'get' niobe more sux. the fact you have to watch the animatrix to get other little things sux. the car chase scene was only cool with the 'semi's' head on and the motorcycle being followed by the camera under the trucks. Lawrence fishburn somehow gained alot alot of weight eating nothing but that corn like junk they eat.

the Burly brawl neo vs the 100 Smiths totally sucked cause they got lazy and relied on cgi then on good old fashioned hard work of really using the actors. Neo 'doing his superman thing' was corny along with the corny techno they used to show it off aside from not expalining why he does it. At the end of matrix 1 it seems he can manipulate code by seemingly destroying mr smith...he doesnt even do it once in reloaded nor talk about it or try it or show others how to manipulate the matrix(if they can or cant). Im tired of people wanting me to assume everything when i shouldnt have to.

If at the end of matrix 1 he can manipulate code why cant he now? why doesnt he now? I think the 'brothers, the directors didnt plan on making sequals and just saw the cash cow it was becomming and went for it. If the two guys working for the french dude the Mar$$%%% whatever they call him are vampires what are the twins? most people and reviewrs that give it a positive review on rottentomatoes say almost the same thing...if your looking for good action its a good film but the story suffers this time around. The crowd i went to see it with are heavily geeks. usually only geeks see the midnight showing or have advance tickets like a week in advance. there was alomost silence the whole film. Why? because what new thing was done. Trinity beating up security gaurds was amazing? or her getting beat up by an agent was so new? we already new these things. the architect was amazing the keymaker was cool. The oracle was delightful as usual. Where did all the 100 smiths go after the fight they kinda just look at each other and.....walk away. uhuh brilliant. i know i know ............................................................................disney is a business.

Now X2 wow! people cheering at beast on tv. i saw gambits name, omega reds name, muir island. pure geek stuff. Colossus getting out of bed got more cheers then anything in matrix. not saying that makes a movie better but it seemd the director knows that hey this is cool we dont need extra music to make it look cool. Bryan singer made an old man Magneto cooler then a man alot younger in leather with sunglasses that dont move even though he's fighting a hundred ex agents. X2 had it moments it was lacking especially with killing styker it took way to many scenes of him getting beat up by magento wolverine and wolverine again. It dragged at the end, and i leave as soon as jean grey does i cant handle the president scene it bored me. But overall the movie rocked.

Matrix i dont know how people can stand up for the 48 minutes its soooooooooooo slow. but anyways different strokes different fokes its just opinions anyhoo

 

[BRERALEX]

Many people consider Empire Strikes Back, Star Trek II to be the best movies in those franchises ever made. Both are sequels.

im not a big star trek fan but fans that i see on other sights don't even talk about the first movie its all wrath of kahn they consider it on another level all together. Ive herad heard star trek one the motion picture refered to as star trek one hard to sit through loll

i havn't posted here in a while for one reason. I am tired of people dogging movies or anything else just because it isn't disney.

I'll dog out disney in a second too the way reign of fire had people groaning in the seats.

Still better thanany other piece of garbage you will see this summer or last. (spiderman-please-horrible,mummy-medicre but entertaining,t-3(so good james cammeron wanted nothing to do with this project)

already saw a better movie X2. James cameron was way to busy doing the titanic documentary with Bill pullman and other projects and if he was free im sure he wouldnt have done it anyways, but directors usually dont do two sequals in a row no matter what the time span ala spielberg and jurassic park 3 but after those big numbers stevie got reinterested. I'll agree with spiderman 100% mediocre as it gets. It's harder to watch everytime, with lazy action and editing that just butchered the story i read from the script and Raimi has butchered the spidey sense. Being a fan of the comic spidey would bever have gotten hit by half those pucnhes he got hit by or any most likely. It's nitpicking but thats what the comic book shows of spidey.

As far as sequals go i thought TTT was an excellent film great music pacing excitement, love story and made you care for these characters that were evolving. i liked it better then FOTR. X2 was better since X1 had to be alittle boring to setup characters which im hoping reloaded was doing for revolutions but it still lacked on many levels like character development, pacing and especially music blaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh

3rd issue. be original. I am tired of reading peoples opinions on topics just to find out these opinions are coming from other reviewers or are just other peoples opinions.

my opinions are my own. someone on the first page said everone he knew loved and it like so amazed me everyone i know didnt like it...........ok ok ok my brother liked it but i didnt speak to him till yesterday afternoon.

i didnt read one review before seeing it. NOT ONE AND IM A BIG AINTITCOOL WEBSITE FAN. After the movies i read the reviews i
could find. I read alot of antigay things about X2 and alot of mix things about matrix. If you go to the talkbacks you can see how people are reacting to it. mostly negative. My negative review of it is my own and is copywrited

I gave it another chance yesterday by seeing it again at 1250 a matinee alot less people to feel it out. I caught alot i didnt catch the first time. mostly with mr smith. but that first 45 minutes is still unbearable, Morpheous' speech is still hard to listen to. the Ducati is still cool as it is in real life. the music still sucked. Keanu doing a backflip fighting the 100 smiths still looked fake, not even a little fake but video game fake. fake like it would be hard to watch a third time.

i'm kinda of tired of people who just say its a movie enjoy it. well dont raise the bar so high and then not reach it again. And how can someone really like a franchise when the franshise isnt over espcially when the franchise is clinging to another movie with big unanswered questions. It seems the franshise was loved no matter what came out or will come out. Revolutions can reveal the matrix to be 2000 yrs old then 1000 yrs old and 12 reboots then say just 6. im hoping the third will blow away the second or at least reinforce it enough to make it wachable....like episode 3 im still havent bought AOTC. AND I LOVE STAR WARS but wont love everything just cause its lucas and wont love POP CENTURY just cause its disney.

oh yeah Pirates of the Carribean wont even get close to these numbers being put up this summer. lol

 

[katerkat]

I'll dog out disney in a second too the way reign of fire had people groaning in the seats.

I'm starting to fear that DH and I are the only ones in the world who loved Reign of Fire... Anyone? Bueller? No? C'mon, Matthew McConaughey!! Even when bald he was pretty hot!