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Christmas is often overloaded with content, but this year’s batch seems almost overbearing. While Star Wars: The Last Jedi will handily win a second weekend at the top of the box office, it’s which of the five wide releases will come out on top. Father Figures was very clearly dumped on Christmas as its target demographic will already be invested in other properties. Downsizing is a fitting title for adults going to the cineplex for some serious fare, but there’s just too much competition for the same audience with one of the top two potential films for the weekend. Pitch Perfect 2 had a massive opening two years ago, but it was in May, not December. The film may struggle, though it’s unique enough it could carve out a decent holiday notch. The other two films are going to be fighting hard to top the box office. On the one hand, The Greatest Showman wants to perform on par with Chicago, but may be heading for a Les Misรฉrables-type opening, which could put it in third instead of first. On the other hand, you have Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, a film that seems perfectly tailored for the broad family appeal of the holiday weekend. The problem is that it will compete with Star Wars for some of the same audience. Ultimately, these films are likely to cannibalize and be cannibalized by other films. While I want to say Jumanji will win the weekend, Pitch Perfect 3has the audience with the least crossover potential with the other new releases and Star Wars itself. The $69 million opening two years ago suggests it could do much better than expected even if it takes in there-quarters of that tally.

Our Highest Rated Films: The Post, The Greatest Showman, Downsizing
Our Best Awards Ratings: The Post (Oscars), The Greatest Showman (Oscars), Downsizing (Oscars)

OTHER LIMITED RELEASES

Happy End
The Lucky Man
Tiger Zinda Hai

Dec. 22-24, 2017

Film

Our Thoughts

Awards Chances

Downsizing

(Wide Release)
See the original CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster Preview

7.5
Wesley Lovell: (9)
Peter J. Patrick: (5)
Tripp Burton: (9)
Thomas LaTourrette: (7)

4.0
Wesley Lovell: (4,Oscars)
Peter J. Patrick: (5,Oscars)
Tripp Burton: (3,Oscars)
Thomas LaTourrette: (4,Oscars)
Categories:

  • Picture (TB,TL)
  • Director (TB,TL)
  • Supporting Actress (WL,PP,TB,TL)
  • Original Screenplay (WL,TB,TL)
  • Production Design (TB)

Individual Commentary:

Wesley Lovell (WL): The concept is just so fascinating and I haven’t disliked an Alexander Payne film yet, so I’m fairly certain this should be fun.
Peter J. Patrick (PP): Looks like a film with a decent premise, but with a less than compelling execution.
Tripp Burton (TB): I love Alexander Payne, so even if the buzz for the film isn’t his best, I’m still really excited to see it.
Thomas LaTourette (TL): The trailer makes it look like a fun movie, but enough of the reviews make it sound like it runs out of steam before it is done.

Film

Our Thoughts

Awards Chances

Father Figures

(Wide Release)
See the original CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster Preview

2.3
Wesley Lovell: (2)
Peter J. Patrick: (2)
Tripp Burton: (2)
Thomas LaTourrette: (3)

Nil
Wesley Lovell: (Nil)
Peter J. Patrick: (Nil)
Tripp Burton: (Nil)
Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)
Categories:

  • None

Individual Commentary:

Wesley Lovell (WL): There are a couple of amusing jokes in the trailer, but it also looks like a fairly lame comedy.
Peter J. Patrick (PP): Movies about silly asses don’t interest me.
Tripp Burton (TB): This looks like a mess.
Thomas LaTourette (TL): It looks like Mamma Mia from the male side, without the music or the better humor of that film.

Film

Our Thoughts

Awards Chances

The Greatest Showman

(Wide Release)
See the original CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster Preview

8.5
Wesley Lovell: (10)
Peter J. Patrick: (8)
Tripp Burton: (6)
Thomas LaTourrette: (10)

5.5
Wesley Lovell: (7,Oscars)
Peter J. Patrick: (5,Oscars)
Tripp Burton: (3,Oscars)
Thomas LaTourrette: (7,Oscars)
Categories:

  • Picture (WL)
  • Actor (WL,PP,TB,TL)
  • Supporting Actor (TL)
  • Supporting Actress (WL,TL)
  • Original Score (WL,PP,TB,TL)
  • Original Song (WL,PP,TB,TL)
  • Film Editing (WL)
  • Cinematography (WL)
  • Production Design (WL,PP,TB,TL)
  • Costume Design (WL,PP,TB,TL)
  • Sound Mixing (WL)
  • Sound Editing (WL)

Individual Commentary:

Wesley Lovell (WL): I’ve been hotly anticipating this film for some time and the trailers have only stoked my interest while frustrating me that they aren’t more music oriented.
Peter J. Patrick (PP): One of the year’s most eagerly anticipated films given short shrift by its studio is a big question mark. Here’s hoping for the best.
Tripp Burton (TB): I love a good musical, but I’m not sure how good this will be.
Thomas LaTourette (TL): I like musicals in general and Hugh Jackman in particular, so I have great hopes for this film. However, the trailers so downplay the songs that I wonder if they are afraid people would stay away if they knew it was a musical, which does not bode well for how they feel about the movie’s merits.

Film

Our Thoughts

Awards Chances

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

(Wide Release)
See the original CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster Preview

4.5
Wesley Lovell: (7)
Peter J. Patrick: (4)
Tripp Burton: (3)
Thomas LaTourrette: (4)

Nil
Wesley Lovell: (Nil)
Peter J. Patrick: (Nil)
Tripp Burton: (Nil)
Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)
Categories:

  • None

Individual Commentary:

Wesley Lovell (WL): In spite of myself, this looks like it might actually be fun even with a slate of actors I don’t particularly like.
Peter J. Patrick (PP): I had no interest in the original, none in this long-delayed sequel either.
Tripp Burton (TB): I don’t think any of us needed a new Jumanji movie.
Thomas LaTourette (TL): Some reviews find it charming, others deadly dull. I have a feeling that I will belong in the second group.

Film

Our Thoughts

Awards Chances

Pitch Perfect 3

(Wide Release)
See the original CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster Preview

6.3
Wesley Lovell: (10)
Peter J. Patrick: (5)
Tripp Burton: (5)
Thomas LaTourrette: (5)

.8
Wesley Lovell: (Nil)
Peter J. Patrick: (Nil)
Tripp Burton: (Nil)
Thomas LaTourrette: (3,Oscars)
Categories:

  • Original Song (TL)

Individual Commentary:

Wesley Lovell (WL): The first film was fun. The second film was fun.I fully expect the third film to be fun.
Peter J. Patrick (PP): Not having seen the first two, I have no interest in catching up with the third.
Tripp Burton (TB): This looks like a fine entry in a series that I still haven’t caught up on.
Thomas LaTourette (TL): I enjoyed the first two films, but the concept feels like it is wearing thin and starting to verge on painful. I hope it is better than the preview.

Film

Our Thoughts

Awards Chances

Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds

(Limited Release)
See the original CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster Preview

4.3
Wesley Lovell: (6)
Peter J. Patrick: (2)
Tripp Burton: (3)
Thomas LaTourrette: (6)

Nil
Wesley Lovell: (Nil)
Peter J. Patrick: (Nil)
Tripp Burton: (Nil)
Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)
Categories:

  • None

Individual Commentary:

Wesley Lovell (WL): The first trailer wasn’t very exciting, but the second trailer looked a lot more interesting.
Peter J. Patrick (PP): Another week, another martial arts drama.
Tripp Burton (TB): I have no idea what to make of this.
Thomas LaTourette (TL): Surprisingly, this could be an entertaining film, though I worry that it will get too caught up in its special effects.

Film

Our Thoughts

Awards Chances

Crooked House

(Limited Release)
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Trailer & Poster Preview

6.5
Wesley Lovell: (7)
Peter J. Patrick: (6)
Tripp Burton: (6)
Thomas LaTourrette: (7)

Nil
Wesley Lovell: (Nil)
Peter J. Patrick: (Nil)
Tripp Burton: (Nil)
Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)
Categories:

  • None

Individual Commentary:

Wesley Lovell (WL): I wasn’t impressed by the Murder on the Orient Express trailer, but the trailer for this film was much more to my liking, feeling quite a bit more like an Agatha Christie production.
Peter J. Patrick (PP): Good cast in film version of one of Agatha Christie’s lesser known novels for all of us who complain they make the same Christie films over and over.
Tripp Burton (TB): I never heard of this, but it looks like fun.
Thomas LaTourette (TL): I enjoyed reading Agatha Christie’s books, though they were rarely as lively onscreen. This boasts a good cast but certainly is flying under the radar.

Film

Our Thoughts

Awards Chances

Hostiles

(Limited Release)
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Trailer & Poster Preview

6.3
Wesley Lovell: (4)
Peter J. Patrick: (8)
Tripp Burton: (7)
Thomas LaTourrette: (6)

2.3
Wesley Lovell: (Nil)
Peter J. Patrick: (4,Oscars)
Tripp Burton: (Nil)
Thomas LaTourrette: (5,Oscars)
Categories:

  • Actor (PP,TL)

Individual Commentary:

Wesley Lovell (WL): I can take or leave Christian Bale, but the trailer for this doesn’t look that interesting.
Peter J. Patrick (PP): Strong cast in post-Civil War social drama-western should be worth catching.
Tripp Burton (TB): This has flown under the radar, but it could be an interesting film.
Thomas LaTourette (TL): I’ve heard good things about Bale’s performance and some reasonable things about the film itself, but not enough to really make me look forward to seeing this.

Film

Our Thoughts

Awards Chances

The Post

(Limited Release)
See the original CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster Preview

9.5
Wesley Lovell: (10)
Peter J. Patrick: (9)
Tripp Burton: (10)
Thomas LaTourrette: (9)

9.3
Wesley Lovell: (10,Oscars)
Peter J. Patrick: (8,Oscars)
Tripp Burton: (10,Oscars)
Thomas LaTourrette: (9,Oscars)
Categories:

  • Picture (WL,PP,TB,TL)
  • Director (WL,PP,TB,TL)
  • Actor (WL,PP,TB,TL)
  • Actress (WL,PP,TB,TL)
  • Supporting Actor (TL)
  • Original Screenplay (WL,PP,TB,TL)
  • Original Score (WL,TB,TL)
  • Film Editing (WL,PP,TB,TL)
  • Cinematography (WL)
  • Production Design (TB,TL)
  • Costume Design (TB,TL)

Individual Commentary:

Wesley Lovell (WL): It’s a terrific film and needs to be seen, especially in a climate where one of our foremost institutions is under constant assault.
Peter J. Patrick (PP): Already winning awards, Spielberg’s film of Kay Graham, the Washington Post, and the Pentagon Papers should be a huge success for all concerned.
Tripp Burton (TB): Any Spielberg film is a cause to celebrate, but this one sounds superb.
Thomas LaTourette (TL): The movie is opening at the right time and the story of the media fighting the government resonates. I worry that it will be more “Important” than interesting, but it will be worth seeing.

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