For Hollywood, September is essentially a more prestigious January. While big blockbuster hits can and have opened during the month, for the most part, the studios wait until October before beginning to roll out major films and/or Oscar contenders. That leaves September with mostly mediocrities that studios wanted out of the way before the real big guns started rolling in.
One Year Ago--September 6, 2019:
New Wide Releases:
It: Chapter Two--1/$91.1 million/$211.6 million/11/63%/58--27 years after the events of the first film, Pennywise the demonic clown (Bill Skarsgard) has returned, once again slaughtering the children of Derry, Maine, and the now grown-up members of the Losers Club (including Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, and James McAvoy) have to return to their hometown to put an end to the reign of terror once and for all. The adaption of the other half of Stephen King's doorstop of a novel wasn't nearly the critical and commercial phenomenon that the first film had been two years earlier, but still did extremely well for a nearly three-hour, R-rated horror movie. Still, while the film turned a very nice profit, I'm sure Warners execs are happy there's no need for a Chapter Three.
Director: Andy Muschietti
Five Years Ago--September 4, 2015:
#1 Movie:
War Room--$9.5 million
New Wide Releases:
A Walk in the Woods--3/$8.3 million/$29.5 million/84/47%/51--Featuring the hottest movie star team-up of 1982, this comedy-drama starred Robert Redford as a retired travel writer who decides to hike the Appalachian Trail, and Nick Nolte as his long-estranged friend who agrees to join him. Even though this is based on a true story, its essentially yet another entry in the ever-popular "Geezers Rediscover Life!" genre, so much so that it's actually surprising that the patron saint of these types of movies, Morgan Freeman, never appears. Emma Thompson does show up, however, as Redford's disapproving wife, with Mary Steenburgen as a motel owner, Nick Offerman as a salesman at a outdoors store, and Kristen Schaal as a fellow hiker. Redford had actually been trying to get this made since the late 90s, when his co-star was supposed to be Paul Newman (who died in 2008). The real guys, incidentally, were in their forties when they went on the journey.
Director: Ken Kwapis
The Transporter Refueled--4/$7.4 million/$16 million/110/16%/32--Jason Statham had spent a good chunk of the aughts starring in three movies of this franchise, playing a "no-questions-asked" driver who inevitably has to ask a lot of questions and kick a lot of ass. Even though Statham hung up his driving gloves after the third installment in 2008, series producer Luc Besson saw no reason for the franchise to retire with him, first producing a spin-off TV series and then this reboot, which saw the largely unknown Ed Skrien, whose biggest previous role had been in a few episodes of Game of Thrones, take over for Statham, and finding himself thrust into a mission involving four bank-robbing former sex slaves, an angry Russian mobster, and his own father (Ray Stevenson). The film did poorly in the US, but it was much more made for the international market, where it did much better business. That said, it apparently didn't do enough business to justify another movie.
Director: Camille Delamarre
Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos--9/$3.4 million/$9.1 million/129/65%/NA--Labor Day weekend, as mentioned previously has become a prime release date for Mexican comedies in the US market. This animated film (whose title translates to A Rooster With Many Eggs) is actually the third in a hugely popular Mexican franchise, but the first to get a US release. A timid rooster has to fight a champion cock fighter in order to save his farm from bankruptcy. Surprisingly, this did not open in American theaters with an English dub, but only with subtitles. An English-language version, re-titled Huevos: Little Rooster's Egg-cellent Adventure, would eventually be released onto DVD.
Director: Gabriel Riva Palacio Alatriste and Rodolfo Riva Palacio Alatriste
Ten Years Ago--September 3, 2010:
New Wide Releases:
The American--1/$13.2 million/$35.6 million/84/65%/61--In this drama, George Clooney's world-weary hitman contemplates retirement while hiding out in a small Italian town, building a weapon for another contract killer and falling for a local prostitute. Those expecting the white-knuckle thrill ride that the marketing promised were instead treated to a moody character study with relatively little action. While the film got largely solid reviews, the producers and studio probably realized it wasn't going to be an awards player and that, even with Clooney, marketing it as the European-style movie it is would probably bring in little business. Hence the deceptive ad campaign and Labor Day weekend release.
Director: Anton Corbijn
Machete--2/$11.4 million/$26.6 million/100/72%/60--This started life as one of the fake trailers that appeared in Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's Grindhouse, but Rodriguez liked the concept so much that he just went ahead and made an entire movie, retaining the trailer's cast of Danny Trejo as a former Mexican Federales turned drifter in Austin, who is hired by Jeff Fahey to take out a virulently anti-immigration senator, only to discover at the last second that its a false flag operation, and he's the true target. Rallying his former compatriot who is now a priest (Cheech Marin) he goes after all those who set him up. The movie contains one of the most jaw-dropping casts of the last few years, with Robert De Niro as the evil senator, Jessica Alba as an Immigration officer who discovers the truth, Don Johnson as an head of an extreme anti-immigrant vigilante group, Lindsey Lohan as Fahey's rebellious daughter, Michelle Rodriguez as a pro-immigrant vigilante, once and future Spy Kid Daryl Sabara as another immigrant who helps Trejo, and Steven Seagal as a vicious Mexican drug lord (sadly, Seagal and De Niro didn't have any scenes together). Even though this only did marginal business, it was low-budgeted enough that Rodriguez was able to mount a sequel in 2013, with an even more insane cast.
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Going the Distance--5/$6.9 million/$17.8 million/120/54%/51--Drew Barrymore and Justin Long fall for each other, but she lives in San Francisco and he lives in New York City. Since neither one is able to move closer to the other without quitting their job, which neither one is willing to do, they have to figure out how to make a long-distance relationship work. This romcom got mixed reviews and very little business, despite the leads and a strong supporting cast, which includes Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Christina Applegate, Ron Livingston, Jim Gaffigan, Kristen Schaal, and Rob Riggle.
Director: Nanette Burstein
Fifteen Years Ago--September 9, 2005:
New Wide Releases:
The Exorcism of Emily Rose--1/$30.1 million/$75.1 million/30/44%/46--Based (very loosely) on a true story, this mixture of courtroom drama and horror proved to be an out-of-nowhere hit, probably buoyed by an unusually strong cast for this type of movie. Laura Linney played an ambitious attorney who agrees to represent disgraced priest Tom Wilkinson, who is on trial after the death of Emily (Jennifer Carpenter). Campbell Scott played the prosecutor, Mary Beth Hurt the judge, and Shohreh Aghdashloo an anthropologist who testifies for the defense. Critics weren't particularly impressed, but the film still did excellent business.
Director: Scott Derrickson
The Man--6/$4 million/$8.3 million/152/12%/33--A surprisingly large portion of Samuel L. Jackson's non-MCU, non-Spike Lee, non-Star Wars filmography is taken up by awkward buddy comedies. Sometimes, that works out (Pulp Fiction), usually it does not. Take this woebegone comedy, in which Jackson's federal agent is suspected of having gone rogue, and he needs the very reluctant help of salesman Eugene Levy to capture the real bad guys and clear his name. Miguel Ferrer played an Internal Affairs officer who suspects Jackson is guilty, and Anthony Mackie played an informant. This got awful reviews and worse box office, not even enough to cover its modest budget.
Director: Les Mayfield
New Limited Release:
An Unfinished Life--$8.6 million/151/52%/49--A stoic Wyoming rancher (Robert Redford), still bitter about his son's death in a car accident, reluctantly allows his son's widow (Jennifer Lopez) and young daughter move in after she arrives to escape an abusive relationship. Will the two of them slowly come to reconcile and mourn together? Clearly made as Oscar bait, this one sat on the shelf for two years once it became obvious that it was not going to be an awards contender. Morgan Freeman played Redford's best friend, who is recovering from a bear attack, Josh Lucas played the sheriff of the nearby town, Camryn Manheim played a waitress who befriends Lopez, and Damian Lewis played Lopez's abusive boyfriend. Even that stellar cast couldn't overcome the bad reviews.
Director: Lasse Hallstrom
Twenty Years Ago--September 8, 2000:
New Wide Releases:
The Watcher--1/$9.1 million/$29 million/85/10%/22--A former FBI agent (James Spader), who quit after failing to save a woman from a serial killer (Keanu Reeves), moves from LA to Chicago, only to discover that Reeves has also moved, and is sending him pictures of the women he intends to murder if Spader is unable to stop him. This is one of those movies where its hard to understand how it attracted a talented cast, though in Reeves's case it was because his signature was forged on the contract and he agreed to do it to avoid litigation, as long as he didn't have to publicize the film. Why Spader or Marisa Tomei (who played Spader's shrink) signed on is unknown. Ernie Hudson, who tends to be considerably less picky about roles, played Spader's boss at the FBI. The star power helped overcome lousy reviews to allow this to win a very weak weekend, though it would burn out fast.
Director: Joe Charbanic
Nurse Betty--2/$7.2 milllion/$25.2 million/90/83%/69--In this acclaimed dark comedy, Renee Zellweiger is a small-town waitress who, after witnessing the murder of her husband (Aaron Eckhart) loses touch with reality and becomes convinced that the events on a soap opera are real and that the show's lead character (Greg Kinnear) is her ex-fiancee, so she sets off to Los Angeles to "reunite" with him, while the two hitmen (Morgan Freeman, Chris Rock) who killed her husband in pursuit. Allison Janey played the soap's head writer and Crispin Glover played a reporter. Despite excellent reviews for Zellweiger, she failed to earn an Oscar nomination, and would have to wait for Bridget Jones's Diary seven months later for the role that would earn her the first of three consecutive nominations.
Director: Neil LaBute
The Way of the Gun--9/$2.2 million/$6.1 million/146/45%/49--The Usual Suspects screenwriter and future Tom Cruise whisperer Christopher McQuarrie made his directorial debut with this twisty thriller about two lowlife criminals (Ryan Phillipe and Usual Suspects vet Benicio del Toro) who kidnap the pregnant surrogate (Juliette Lewis) of a wealthy money launderer (Scott Wilson). Pursuing them to Mexico is the woman's bodyguards (Taye Diggs and Nicky Katt) and James Caan as Wilson's representative. This got mixed reviews and despite the cast, little business.
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Twenty-Five Years Ago--September 8, 1995:
New Wide Releases:
To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar--1/$9 million/$36.5 million/48/39%/60--A year after The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert became an art-house hit, mainstream American theaters got their own drag queens drive cross country comedy with an absurdly long title. Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo pretty much do a 180 on their previous roles by playing the trio of queens heading from New York to LA when their car breaks down in a small town in the middle of nowhere. Having no choice but to stay the weekend at Stockard Channing's bed and breakfast, they begin to revitalize the townspeople. Arliss Howard played Channing's abusive husband, Chris Penn played the county sheriff, Blythe Danner and Melinda Dillon played townswomen, and there were cameos by Robin Williams (who knew a little something about dressing in drag), Naomi Campbell, RuPaul, and Julie Newmar herself. Critics compared it unfavorably to Priscilla, and it underperformed relative to expectations, though for a gay-themed movie in 1995, it did solid business (though six months later, Williams would star in a gay-themed movie that would tower over this one at the box office).
Director: Beeban Kidron
The Tie That Binds--6/$2.6 million/$5.8 million/143/8%/NA--After being abandoned at a crime scene by her criminal parents (Daryl Hannah and Keith Carradine), a little girl is adopted by loving couple Moira Kelly and Vincent Spano. But Hannah and Carradine want their daughter back, and are willing to kill to get her. Like the leads of To Wong Foo, Hannah tried to do a 180 turn from her usual work, but in this case, not only did it not work, it basically killed off her career as a leading lady (her subsequent work has been in supporting roles, TV, and leads in indies).
Director: Wesley Strick
Last of the Dogmen--7/$2.5 million/$7 million/135/69%/NA--This little-seen drama starred Tom Berenger as a bounty hunter who becomes convinced that a surviving tribe of Cheyenne is still living in the wilds of northern Montana. After convincing local archaeologist Barbara Hershey that he might be correct, the two of them set out to track down the Native Americans. Kurtwood Smith played the local sherrif who is Berenger's former father-in-law, and Wilford Brimley provided narriation. Despite decent reviews (and a title borrowed from The Last of the Mohicans) this opened to almost no business.
Director: Tab Murphy
National Lampoon's Senior Trip--9/$2.2 million/$4.7 million/150/0%/NA--In this brain-dead, lowbrow comedy, a group of drunken high schoolers head from Ohio to Washington D.C. Hijinks ensure. This is best remembered for being the film debut of Jeremy Renner, though he'd probably like you to forget. Among the adults accepting paychecks for being in this were Matt Frewer as the school's principal, Tommy Chong as the bus driver, and Kevin McDonald as a crazed security guard. A decade later, McDonald would co-star in a far better teen high school comedy, Sky High.
Director: Kelly Makin
Thirty Years Ago--September 7, 1990:
#1 Movie:
Ghost--$6.5 million
Thirty-Five Years Ago--September 6, 1985:
#1 Movie:
Back to the Future--$5.2 million
Forty Years Ago--September 5, 1980
NA
No comments:
Post a Comment