February is a traditional dumping ground for movies the studios aren’t sure what to do with. Two of my films landed there in the chilly midst of winter — dang it! But the facts are these: There are few really big hits that launch in Feburary, which, like August, is a time of year fewer folks head to the cineplex.
So is it unfair of me to pick on two upcoming February films?
Failure to Launch. You know it’s a Paramount romantic comedy when we see a poster of two people leaning against each other. The body launguage, I guess, says that the co-stars are thinking about it, but not quite committed to a full-on embrace. Often the woman will be leaning with her back to the man while holding his tie which is draped over his shoulder. O-kay.
But my peeve is much more worrisome re: this Mathew McConeghy – Sarah Jessica Parker lean-fest.
1. Is it a good idea to have the word “failure” in your title?
Dunno.
And 2. What exactly is this premise?
Only after I saw the trailer did I understand any of it. And when I did, I wondered more. We have to buy 1. That Mathew is in his 30s and still lives with his parents and 2. That there exists such a person as the one Sarah Jessica plays — a sort of therapist/sex surrogate/U-Haul advisor.
Will this play?
Firewall. Maybe the oddest poster I’ve seen in a while. What is it about that color wash/photorealistic image of Harrison Ford that feels — off? In the ads for this, I see Harrison is dealing with kidnappers ala Ransom and is emoting a lot — good, good — but it made ME think of a movie that might do better abroad.
When I see ads like this on TV it makes me wonder about the business model Hollywood has been using. How much longer will this work? The idea that you can sell a movie with wall-to-firewall commercials may be an old one. It makes me long for… you know… a GOOD movie. See, in my personal opinion, Hollywood is great! The power and the possibilites of creating a really exciting, brand new film we all can’t wait to see is there. I just think we aren’t being as daring as we could be.
But I will give one award to the best poster line so far this year: It’s the one for the Curious George movie.
“Show me the monkey!”
I laughed. I don’t know if I’ll see the movie. But that one line made me think about it.
February. Brrrrrrrrr.
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Ooo! I’ve been wanting to chat about this for the last week. Especially since I see the billboard a couple of times every day driving to work!
I agree… the title is a problem. It hints more at bedroom R-rated farce than a romantic comedy date movie. That it really needs a LONG tag-line to make it clear it’s about a guy still living with his parents… not good. (Especially since drivers glancing at a billboard don’t have time to read the log line unless they’re stopped at a red light.) Never mind that one has to wonder how desirable a guy of MM’s age is, if he’s still mooching off his parents.
I noticed the other morning, that at the front of the title is a “designerly” bird, apparently failing to fly. Except that the bird isn’t easily recognizable as a bird when driving by. So the whole “failing to leave the nest” metaphor is lost as well. Again completely relying on the tag line to get you there.
Firewall I’m more ambivalent about. The trailers I’ve seen on TV remind me too much of both Ransom and the Bruce Willis Hostage. What they were showing me was not what makes this film different from the other two recent examples from the genre. Again, not so good, at least for the initial hook.
Failure to Launch – Sounds like a movie about the space shuttle to me. I like Sarah’s take about the sexual pun-ness as well.
There must be something about the “Immature but attractive male, with fear and aversion to commitment issues” theme that just attracts the romantic comedy audience, or so the studios seem to think. It’s probably the most popular theme in these types of films.
Maybe they think it makes a good date movie theme because many women relate, and perhaps feel their men could use to work out the same issues as the guys in the movie, ala Jerry Maguire.
I saw Harrison plugging Firewall on Jon Stewart last night. He was funny, in his laid back charming, I don’t really care much, sort of way.
Yes … it looks just like Ransom or even his old film Frantic. The “don’t underestimate the middle aged guy when you mess with his family” plot is apparently alive and well.
I saw a disappointing movie the other night with my movie reviewer friend who took me to a free screening – The Pink Panther. The slapstick lacked the sophistication of the Blake Edwards’ films. And the plot was sort of paint by numbers. Steve Martin is always fun to watch, and Jean Reno was great as the straight man. But it could have been so much more.
In the lobby before the movie, friend commented on the posters for Failure to Launch and Firewall. For Failure to Launch, he said: “That looks horrible!” And Firewall: “I look at the poster and I feel like I’ve already seen it…”
Last night, I saw Harrison Ford interviewed by one of our local movie reviewers on TV (promoting Firewall). She asked him why he doesn’t do comedy. He sighed and rolled his eyes, and told her he’s been looking for a good, smart comedy for years. I think that says a lot.
The movie I’m looking forward to right now? Date Movie, the spoof of romantic comedies. Any word about how it turned out?
I laugh practically every time I see that phrase ‘Show Me the Monkey’! Besides the obvious play on Jerry Maguire, I think it sounds a little like a dirty joke (spanking the…), which is hilarious for a kid’s movie (but safely obscure for kids.)
I read that FIREWALL is basically a pastiche of all sorts of other suspense action/ Harrison Ford movies.
I imagine that DATE MOVIE will be good. They’ve done a pretty good job lately with spoof movies lately, this seems similar.
I think the problem lies not in that people don’t want to go see movies in February (I’m in Canada and I wanna go see a movie, despite the cold) but that there are no movies to see then. There must be peaks and valleys otherwise Hollywood can’t preplan their earning seasons.
It’s the fact that even during the peaks the best thing out is still a sequel/rehash that’s gets my goat. Many of the directors (and actors, for that matter) who are now the big power players in Hollywood started off at a time when film was finally starting to go in new directions. Most of them now will stay away from anything out of the mainstream for fear they get their hair wet. This is why we have movies like Curious George (Garfield was the best movie I’ve ever seen, despite hitting myself in the head with a hammer) and a half dozen remakes or sequels during a month when the biggest dating holiday of the year happens. This is a time of year when Hollywood should be saying, Hey! Take your sweetheart to the movies!
I’ve had the biggest crush on the girl at the local Blockbuster, but haven’t been able to think of a way to approach her. She shares my cynicism towards Hollywood’s assumption that the public can’t handle anything new, and so she already holds a special place in my heart. But I agree with Blake, if Hollywood is going to give us no reason to go to the movies on Valentine’s day, so be it. We’ll rent instead. Didn’t Doom just come out?
Oh no! Curious George is out! Now all my cool vintage Curious George Ts are totally uncool… eep!
(As if it matters… :-))