Audiences seem to be rejecting anti-war anti-Bush movies at box office [Archive]

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BoogyMan

10-29-2007, 11:37 PM

Interesting read. This is certainly no vindication for the administration, but it certainly speaks to the idea that the harsh rhetoric of the left isn't being blindly accepted either.

Source: Link (http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071025/NATION/110250083/1002)

It doesn't matter how many Oscar winners are in front of or behind the camera — audiences are proving to be conscientious objectors when it comes to this fall's surge of antiwar and anti-Bush films.

Both "In the Valley of Elah" and, more recently, "Rendition" drew minuscule crowds upon their release, which doesn't bode well for the ongoing stream of films critical of the Iraq war and the Bush administration's wider war on terror.

"Rendition," which features three Oscar winners in key roles, grossed $4.1 million over the weekend in 2,250 screens for a ninth-place finish. A re-release of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" beat it, and it's 14 years old.

"Rendition" follows an Egyptian-American who gets kidnapped by U.S. authorities who think he's a terrorist. Reese Witherspoon plays the man's wife, Meryl Streep dials up her dark side as the official who keeps his disappearance a secret and Alan Arkin is a senior senator with the power to influence the case. Meanwhile, the man is shipped off to an unnamed North African country, where he is tortured for information.

"Elah" boasts Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron and Susan Sarandon, another Oscar-winning triumvirate, under professionally red-hot director Paul Haggis, who won his own Oscar for "Crash." Mr. Haggis' drama focuses on the disappearance of an Iraq war veteran upon his return home.

Beyond the fiction features, the anti-Iraq war documentary "No End in Sight" (box office: $1.4 million) couldn't capture the indie crowd, beating a swift retreat to DVD next Tuesday despite glowing reviews.

Brandon Gray, president and publisher of www.boxofficemojo.com, says audiences seek out movies for inspiration, for laughter and to be moved.

"Many of these recent dramas fail on all those fronts," Mr. Gray says. "They're too heavy handed in their presentation."

lily

10-30-2007, 12:21 AM

I'd be interested to know how many people can afford to go to a movie?

throowrocks

10-30-2007, 01:07 AM

Red Dragon

10-30-2007, 01:14 AM

The acting was horrible and the films failed to be any sort of persuasive drama.

AnnEsthesia

10-30-2007, 01:24 AM

$4.00?? You can't even get popcorn for $4.00!

throowrocks

10-30-2007, 01:30 AM

Mt. Hood Theatre
Address: 401 E. Powell Blvd., Gresham, OR 97030 (Map)
Phone: 503-665-0604 $4.00 adult

AnnEsthesia

10-30-2007, 01:31 AM

And gee, prices could be different in other parts of the country. *rolls eyes*[hr]Boogy, I think it has more to do with the country's being tired of this war and all the imagery that goes along with it as opposed to being against anti-war and anti-bush movies.

How many movies of the same type do we really need?

throowrocks

10-30-2007, 01:51 AM

so what?

Alonzo

10-30-2007, 01:58 AM

Mt. Hood Theatre
Address: 401 E. Powell Blvd., Gresham, OR 97030 (Map)
Phone: 503-665-0604 $4.00 adult

I'll remember to book a flight to the boonies out in Oregon when I get the chance. Until then I'm stuck paying $10 per ticket plus $4 for popcorn.

I don't even think I can buy movie tickets in a small town in rural vermont that price.

throowrocks

10-30-2007, 02:06 AM

Maybe theaters are charging 100 dollars a ticket,and that's the reason for the movies lack in ticket sales. You can't sell this bull shit to the American public. That's the reason air america is in the toilet. I listen to air america on Saturdays.
Who can stomach air americas tripe? According to ratings not many! The same with this movie.

Scorpion

10-30-2007, 02:08 AM

I've attended both of the movies mentioned. Both are fiction. Both are, in my estimation, less than entertaining.

Bottom line. They're fictitious movies. If you draw some political conclusions from the attendance figures then you've got a lot to learn about politics.

throowrocks

10-30-2007, 02:14 AM

OK, learn me mister.We no nothin about such things down here.

Scorpion

10-30-2007, 02:17 AM

OK, learn me mister.We no nothin about such things down here.

"Learn you" about what (besides diction)?

Elrathin

10-30-2007, 02:28 AM

Movies in general are on the decline as a whole. I'm not sure if many people have noticed, but it looks like a string or reworks are in the makes:

Child's Play
Hellraiser
Superman Returns new film "untitled" (Their talking about the next film just ignoring superman returns altogether and trying again)
Incredible Hulk new film "untitled" (Same thing as Superman returns next film they are looking to just ignore the one that came out recently).
The Lone Ranger

On the lines of "can't think of a new idea" they are coming out with various super hero movies which I'm afraid they are going to bomb. I think they are doing this on the lines of the new Justice League movie that is also set to come out.

The Green Lantern
Wonder Women
Aqua Man

And lastly they are trying to revive the Star Trek Franchise with a New Star Trek that shows a younger kirk and spock.

Unfortuatnely I have very little faith in the movie industry now. Movies that come out seem to be seriously lacking good plot lines or they just flat out take a good idea that has been done, remake it, and then it bombs.

lawless168

10-30-2007, 02:45 AM

I bet Hollywood will bail these movies out with all kinds of awards to mask the crapyness and far out BS in these movies and unknowing people will rent or buy it when it comes out on DVD in a few months to save it financially.

I remember when a movie would win an award it meant it was a good movie with great acting…not so anymore

And its 6.75 per person where I live. Its affordable if you want it to be;)

ViolaLee

10-30-2007, 03:05 AM

Rent "The Situation".

Good movie. http://www.thesituationmovie.com/

Drocket

10-30-2007, 05:44 AM

I'd say they're trying a little too hard to find a story here. I mean, first off, we're talking about dramas and documentaries here: those are virtually never blockbuster titles. Action flicks are pretty much always tops at the box office, followed by comedies and kiddie-fare. The fact that Rendition got beaten by Nightmare Before Christmas is about as surprising as the sun rising.

Beyond that, Rendition has gotten pretty mediocre reviews. Its currently at 43% on RottenTomatoes, which is somewhat above crap, but not by much. So, a 'eh' movie versus the re-mastered release of a beloved classic movie in a much more popular genre... Wonder which one will win...

I never even heard of "No End in Sight". It seems to have been an extremely limited release documentary that didn't have any real corporate backing. Gee, wonder why it wasn't a blockbuster... Actually, 1.4M is pretty darn good for a movie in that category. The fact that people other than their relatives saw it probably had the filmmakers dancing.

The whole article basically sounds like when the right tried to make Fahrenheit 9/11 look like a failure by comparing it to movies like Spiderman, ignoring the tiny little detail that it was one of the highest grossing documentaries of all times. You can pretty much prove anything by juggling the numbers right...

JohnnyAwake

10-30-2007, 05:53 AM

Well there is something disheartening about paying $7.50 to see Bush on a big screen. Because of his excellent leadership (and tax manipulation); WE just can't seem to cough up the dough. And the CEO's who can afford it, thanks to Bush, aren't likely to pay it either.[hr]
I'd say they're trying a little too hard to find a story here. I mean, first off, we're talking about dramas and documentaries here: those are virtually never blockbuster titles. Action flicks are pretty much always tops at the box office, followed by comedies and kiddie-fare. The fact that Rendition got beaten by Nightmare Before Christmas is about as surprising as the sun rising.

Beyond that, Rendition has gotten pretty mediocre reviews. Its currently at 43% on RottenTomatoes, which is somewhat above crap, but not by much. So, a 'eh' movie versus the re-mastered release of a beloved classic movie in a much more popular genre... Wonder which one will win...

I never even heard of "No End in Sight". It seems to have been an extremely limited release documentary that didn't have any real corporate backing. Gee, wonder why it wasn't a blockbuster... Actually, 1.4M is pretty darn good for a movie in that category. The fact that people other than their relatives saw it probably had the filmmakers dancing.

The whole article basically sounds like when the right tried to make Fahrenheit 9/11 look like a failure by comparing it to movies like Spiderman, ignoring the tiny little detail that it was one of the highest grossing documentaries of all times. You can pretty much prove anything by juggling the numbers right...

Good point Drocket.

Wndrtch

10-30-2007, 01:42 PM

Oct. 27,28 theaters sold 25 million tickets. Poor people in America have cell phones,cable TV,and computers. I'm sure if they wanted to see a move that denigrates the country they live in they could have scraped together $4.00.

$4?

Is that WITH the Senior discount? :love:[hr]The whole article basically sounds like when the right tried to make Fahrenheit 9/11 look like a failure by comparing it to movies like Spiderman, ignoring the tiny little detail that it was one of the highest grossing documentaries of all times. You can pretty much prove anything by juggling the numbers right...

"Excuse me, waiter? Can I have a napkin over here? Someone spilled the Kool-aid..."

"Fahrenheit 9/11" :sick:

Calling this trash a documentary is an insult to documentaries. Doesn't a documentary need something called "facts"? It was nothing more than a 2 hour Op-Ed piece.

That it did "well" for a "documentary" just proves there are enough Bush Haters to make a niche market with. But hey, at least Michael Moore isn't on welfare.

Deadshot

10-30-2007, 02:09 PM

Wndrtch

10-30-2007, 02:37 PM

Hmmm....Bush's job approval from, Bush Job Approval (http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm)

Fox 35%
CBS 30%
CNN 36%
USA Today 32%
Gallup 32%

But people aren't seeing the "Anti-War/Anti-Bush" movies...Yup, Bush is making a comeback. I can see that over the next year people attempting to change the Constitution to allow him to go for another 4 years!:madlaugh:...that's why all the POTUS candidates are wanting thier pictures with and Bush is stumping for them:lmao:

Yeah, Bush is winning the war against Hollywood...to bad that's the only war he can win...

Do I think that Americans are tired of the war, yes. However, I also think they don't want to repeat Vietnam, and "retreat". They want to "win" and then bring our brave home, quickly. This is why I think the Dem strategy to bash the war, and call for an early retreat, will become a hassle for them next year. American likes to win, not loose, and the Dems are only talking about loosing as if winning is off the table completely.

AnnEsthesia

10-30-2007, 03:08 PM

I blame things like netflix and Comcast On Demand. Why spend all that money when you are able to watch at your leisure in your home? I like being able to pause the movie and get a drink or tend to the kids.

Deadshot

10-30-2007, 03:32 PM

Do I think that Americans are tired of the war, yes. However, I also think they don't want to repeat Vietnam, and "retreat". They want to "win" and then bring our brave home, quickly. This is why I think the Dem strategy to bash the war, and call for an early retreat, will become a hassle for them next year. American likes to win, not loose, and the Dems are only talking about loosing as if winning is off the table completely.

First to AnnE's observation...also why go see something at the big screen that isn't chock full of special effects? Do I really need to see Michael Clayton on the big screen?

Now to Wnd, But we did "win". Saddam is dead, Iraq has a Democracy and the American military was victorious on the field of battle.

America does like to win, I agree. I also agree that America does not like to lose. But right now, as the SecDef admitted before Congress we are niether winning nor losing. It's a stalemate, and since we're not a Soccer or Hockey society - America doesn't like "ties" either.

The Dems aren't going to withdraw and watch Iraq crumble. Hillary, Obama and even Edwards has said that it would need to be a phased withdraw over months, maybe years, not weeks. But the American public realizes that kids over there on their forth tours is a bad thing. By next spring Patreaus will make good on his promise to his troops and the surge will be over unless those brave men and women re-up.

I think the Dems strategy is sound. Talk about how the POTUS and the GOP fucked up the prosecution of the war. McCain and other Generals have admitted to the mistakes of the Bush Administration, so use that. Continue to bring forth issues like the "S-Chip" child insurance bill, at just the time when Bush asks for more money for the war. Continue to replay the old tape of Bush, Cheney and Rummy making mistake after mistake. The replay the tape of the near consistent overspending, misspent monies, mistakes with the contractors, a billion dollar embassy...and the GOP running on a "Stay the course" platform.

The Dems won't end the war, but they'll change the course of the war. BTW, you compared this to a Vietnam-like situation. I can see that on a tactical and Governmental level. Can you give me an example of where, and I believe that you're hinting at this in your post, returning soldiers are being treated like shit upon their return, a la Vietnam? Because I would believe the morale of the troops would suffer just as much from the extended tours and loss of time from their homes. If it's just a morale issue, doesn't the GOP and POTUS deserve some blame? I ask because McCain and others have said that the war has been mismanaged.

If the troops came home to people spitting on them and calling them "baby killers", like what happened upon their return from Vietnam, I think that you might have a point. But so far, and God willing no Left wing whackos will change this, the troops have been welcomed home with honor and dignity. And persons from BOTH sides of the aisle have struggled to get our troops the best of care and benefits.

So, IMHO, the Dems are doing fine.

lily

10-31-2007, 01:54 AM

Rent "The Situation".

Good movie. http://www.thesituationmovie.com/

I didn't know this was out on DVD yet.....thanks Viola.[hr][quote=Deadshot]

The Dems aren't going to withdraw and watch Iraq crumble. Hillary, Obama and even Edwards has said that it would need to be a phased withdraw over months, maybe years, not weeks. But the American public realizes that kids over there on their forth tours is a bad thing. By next spring Patreaus will make good on his promise to his troops and the surge will be over unless those brave men and women re-up.

........and that is what is going to be the problem, Deadshot.....By the time the Democrats take office...their 4-5 tours are going to be over. There is a reason why we are using Blackwater.

AnnEsthesia

10-31-2007, 02:18 AM

First to AnnE's observation...also why go see something at the big screen that isn't chock full of special effects? Do I really need to see Michael Clayton on the big screen?

Exactly. I think the last movie we went to see was a year ago and that was only because we had a free night because both kids were with family. We figured why not go to dinner and a movie.

The rest of the time, after we get home from working and then get the kids taken care of, we just have no desire to spend all that money to see a movie that we can wait a little while and see for very little money without all the distractions and with the ability to pause and rewind should we want to do so.

Alonzo

10-31-2007, 02:23 AM

AnnEsthesia

10-31-2007, 02:28 AM

That pause and rewind thing is big. I can't be the only one who has gone to the movies, bought a coke or sprite, and 30 minutes into the film, after drinking too much, realize I have to go to the bathroom but there's still 2 hours left in the movie.

There is that, but also people getting up and down in front of you, people eating just behind you and rustling/crunching through the whole movie, people talking, people kicking your seat, etc. I prefer to stretch out, snuggle up and watch the movie in comfort. Of course, we have On Demand, so we can watch all sorts of movies any time of the day.

Anti-Racism

11-01-2007, 03:31 AM

Protest songs and political movies are boring.

gemosological

11-01-2007, 03:49 AM

I'd be interested to know how many people can afford to go to a movie?

You got that right, Lily. I'm on SSDI and a movie just isn't in the budget, and I worked and paid my taxes for over thirty years to be entitled to that privilege- and I spent a large portion of my work life manufacturing needed items to support the war effort during the 'Nam years even though I was against the war.

But I digress...

RRD
:thumbsup: :)

Labrocca

11-01-2007, 04:05 AM

Hmmm....Bush's job approval from, Bush Job Approval (http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm)

Fox 35%
CBS 30%
CNN 36%
USA Today 32%
Gallup 32%

But people aren't seeing the "Anti-War/Anti-Bush" movies...Yup, Bush is making a comeback. I can see that over the next year people attempting to change the Constitution to allow him to go for another 4 years!:madlaugh:...that's why all the POTUS candidates are wanting thier pictures with and Bush is stumping for them:lmao:

Yeah, Bush is winning the war against Hollywood...to bad that's the only war he can win...

Disapproval of his job performance and anti-american sentiment are totally 2 seperate subjects. I am not happy with Bush but I certainly don't believe the hateful propaganda being spewed by the left. I don't like my kids school grades that doesn't mean I hate him for it.

Oh ...and if approval ratings happen to be meaningful then check out the all-time record lows of the Democrat controlled congress. That would be a movie I would see. :) Let's get a Nancy Pelosi like character lying to the American people in a conspiracy to gain power and wealth. It doesn't even have to be fiction.

Elrathin

11-01-2007, 04:13 AM

Or lying as in how Republicans said they were going to be fiscally responsible? And no you don't have to comeback with this congress, because I already am disappointed in them fully. Time for a new party.

Anti-Racism

11-01-2007, 04:53 AM

Tme for a new political system.

Elrathin

11-01-2007, 12:47 PM

Tme for a new political system.

Hardly. Our political system is the best in the world, but it requires people to not be party drones and actually get involved with politicis and know what they vote for.

If the people would get up off their asses they would see that they can provide change to the system and not make corruption a standard in politics by not allowing it and voting the corruption down.

Drocket

11-01-2007, 08:19 PM

Hardly. Our political system is the best in the world

Not really. Frankly, its outdated. It was the best in the world in 1776, when it was new and innovative, but like any idea, better revisions have come along. Parliamentary systems, for example, which make it far more feasible to have several parties (more than 2 parties just isn't a stable configuration in the US system. It happens now and then, but inevitably, all but 2 collapse because the system just doesn't work with more.)

It frankly is way past time to modernize some parts of our system.

Elrathin

11-01-2007, 08:28 PM

Scorpion

11-01-2007, 08:53 PM

Drocket

11-01-2007, 09:55 PM

The only reason we don't have more viable parties is people won't get involved to realize that there can be. Out political system could take multiple parties, but it would require people to break away from the D and the R. Again, it's the people that are at fault, not the system.

But it's happened many, many times in American history, and it's NEVER worked out. Its never even sort of worked. They wind up in a 3-way deadlock, with nobody able to get anything done. Before long, alliances form, one of the parties either integrates with one of the other 2 or else just fades away, and we're back to the good old 2-party system.

The fact that there's only ever isn't anything magical: its the result of a political system in which 2 parties is the optimum number. If you want more parties, you need to change the system to one in which 2 is no longer the optimal number.

Elrathin

11-01-2007, 10:12 PM

But it's happened many, many times in American history, and it's NEVER worked out. Its never even sort of worked. They wind up in a 3-way deadlock, with nobody able to get anything done. Before long, alliances form, one of the parties either integrates with one of the other 2 or else just fades away, and we're back to the good old 2-party system.

Again, that is the fault of the people, not the system. The system itself could easily handle more parties, its the people that don't. The system isn't flawed in that regard, people are. There is NOTHING in the constitution or our government system that states there can't be more than 2 parties. The system is fine, it is the people need to wake the hell up.

lily

11-02-2007, 02:10 AM

While I will agree that I am fed up with the 2 party system, I don't think it's so much the "system" as never voting across party lines, even for the good of the people.

gemosological

11-02-2007, 02:13 AM

While I will agree that I am fed up with the 2 party system, I don't think it's so much the "system" as never voting across party lines, even for the good of the people.

I totally agree, Lily. I split tickets in every election. I don't vote for the party, I vote for the ideas and ideals. That's what we're really supposed to be voting for.

RRD
:cool: