Welcome to February’s Boom, Bust, or Meh ladies and gentlemen! This is where we focus on five films released during the month and have some fun predicting their success! As with every BBoM article, each film receives one of the following scores:
Boom: A film you’ll remember for the rest of the year (or at least for the Oscar’s season)!
Bust: A film you’ll regret watching.
Meh: A film that entertains during the moment, but has no lasting impact.
With that introduction, let’s crank open the month of February vault!
The Results
Before we get to our film predictions, let us take a look at the outcome of our January predictions!
1. Glass – Meh
Rotten Tomatoes
Critic Score: 36%
Audience Score: 76%
Box Office
Production Budget: $20 million
Worldwide: $167 million
Juliana: It seems that ending has people split!
2. A Dog’s Way Home – Meh
Rotten Tomatoes
Critic Score: 58%
Audience Score: 80%
Box Office
Production Budget: $18 million
Worldwide: $42 million
Juliana: A warm family film. However it didn’t take enough risks for the critics who have seen this type of story a million times before.
3. Replicas – Bust
Rotten Tomatoes
Critic Score: 9%
Audience Score: 41%
Box Office
Budget: $30 million
Worldwide: $4 million
Juliana: 2019 has only just started, yet we’ve already found the biggest box office bomb for the year! Guess things can only go up from here?
4. Serenity – Bust
Rotten Tomatoes
Critic Score: 23%
Audience Score: 30%
Box Office
Budget: $25 million
Domestic: $5 million
Juliana: Some found the typically disparate blend of genres to be delightful… others found it to be unintentionally hilarious.
5. The Kid Who Would Be King – Meh
Rotten Tomatoes
Critic Score: 87%
Audience Score: 72%
Box Office
Budget: $59 million
Worldwide: $12 million
Juliana: The closest film we got to a BOOM for last month. To be fair, it has only just released, so give it some time and a few more theatrical introductions in other countries, and the box office may resemble something decent.
Each “Boom, Bust, or Meh” article will include each writer’s current record next to their name. My record is (55-36), and Tyler Hummel is at (35-28).
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
Rating: PG
Release Date: February 22, 2019
Synopsis: When Hiccup discovers Toothless isn’t the only Night Fury, he must seek “The Hidden World”, a secret Dragon Utopia before a hired tyrant named Grimmel finds it first. (IMDB).
Director: Dean DeBlois
Starring: Kate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Kit Harington
The Predictions
Juliana Purnell (55-36): BOOM! – I feel like I’m cheating because I’ve already seen this movie (it was released in Australia first, which is a rare occurrence for kids films). Containing the most mature storyline thus far, this final addition to the franchise bookends a fantastic trilogy. It has been fun to grow alongside Hiccup and Toothless, and this film offers a beautiful farewell to the series, once again offering great animation and flight scenes that look amazing in 3D. Just see it. Oh, and bring the tissues.
Tyler Hummel (35-28): BOOM! – The last two films in this series have been very good! While I’m not sure what they’re doing to wrap up the plot of the trilogy, it’s clear in the trailer that they’ve got some interesting ideas. The early reviews from where the film was releasee seem to be on the positive side so its a safe bet!
Alita: Battle Angel
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: February 14, 2019
Synopsis: An action-packed story of one young woman’s journey to discover the truth of who she is and her fight to change the world. (IMDB).
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Starring: Rosa Salazar, Mahershala Ali, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly
The Predictions
Juliana Purnell (55-36): BOOM! – I’m hesitant about labelling this as a BOOM because films of this ilk haven’t performed well at the box office lately, particularly ones that aren’t already part of an established movie franchise. The only reason I’m giving this project a chance is because of James Cameron’s attachment as screenwriter and producer. Say what you will about him, but the man knows how to craft a popular blockbuster flick, along with how to push 3D to its limits. Coupled with the fact that the movie has (surprisingly) little to no competition in its demographic this month, I predict it’ll have a strong second weekend, once the word gets out that this film is one worth watching.
Tyler Hummel (35-28): Meh – I’m actually really looking forward to this movie given its excellent source material, cast and creative team but I still think the Vegas odds arent in its favor. This movie is very much a wild card. That said, everyone involved seems super passionate about it and that’s why I’m hopeful!
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part
Rating: PG
Release Date: February 8, 2019
Synopsis: It’s been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are facing a huge new threat: LEGO DUPLO® invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than they can rebuild. (IMDB).
Director: Mike Mitchell
Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett
The Predictions
Juliana Purnell (55-36): Meh – One thing that I’ve noticed with self-referential humor is that it gets old. Really fast. As much as I liked the original and the spin-offs, I can’t say I’m overly enthused for another venture. I’m sure it’ll be funny, but the series is starting to lose its originality. I predict it will still perform strongly at the box office as a family film, though I don’t believe the critics will be wowed this time around.
Tyler Hummel (35-28): BOOM! – Okay, so this one is also a huge gamble due to the fact that the directors of the first movie aren’t heading it… They contributed to writing but the director is Mike Mitchell (Trolls, Shrek 4, etc). That said, there’s a wide swath of how this film could turn out as long as it’s not as bad as LEGO Ninjago…
What Men Want
Rating: R
Release Date: February 8, 2019
Synopsis: A woman is boxed out by the male sports agents in her profession, but gains an unexpected edge over them when she develops the ability to hear men’s thoughts. (IMDB).
Director: Adam Shankman
Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Max Greenfield
The Predictions
Juliana Purnell (55-36): Bust – I liked What Women Want. At the time it was fun and fresh. However, I can’t help but get the feeling that this new gender role reversal story is politically tone deaf. In the midst of what some have deemed as the “gender wars”, I’m fairly certain the last thing men want is to watch a film about a woman that’s trying to crack the patriarchy by manipulating her male co-workers.
What Women Want ultimately was about respecting and finding common ground with the opposite sex, yet the trailers for this sequel seem to contain more of a browbeating vibe in terms of its message. While it’ll no doubt still host a few laughs, and feature a character journey involving greater respect for others, I predict the film’s marketing campaign has already turned off the viewers who are simply over these narratives and Hollywood’s continual need to virtue signal.
Tyler Hummel (35-28): Bust – So this isn’t my kind of film but it’s a big broad low budget studio comedy and some people are into that sort of thing. That said, I don’t think it’ll turn out great.
Cold Pursuit
Rating: R
Release Date: February 8, 2019
Synopsis: A snowplow driver seeks revenge against the drug dealers he thinks killed his son. Based on the 2014 Norwegian film ‘In Order of Disappearance’. (IMDB).
Director: Hans Petter Moland
Starring: Liam Neeson, Julia Jones, Emmy Rossum
The Predictions
Juliana Purnell (55-36): Meh –Liam Neeson once again finds himself in an action film, however this time the casting choice is a little more deliberate. Judging from the trailer, it seems the role is more suited to an aging male actor, unlike The Commuter where Neeson’s age wasn’t taken into account, making it all seem horribly unrealistic. With Neeson cast as an unlikely suspect for a series of revenge killings, Cold Pursuit gives off a Fargo vibe, blending the crime thriller genre with dark humor. I predict this will be a critically praised film, though the box office won’t impress the studio.
Tyler Hummel (35-28): Meh – So these late in life Liam Neeson action films are really hit or miss. Occasionally, you’ll get a Taken or Walk the Dark Streets but then you’ll get mediocre Jaime Collet-Serra films. I want to see this but I’m not hoping for much.
Thanks for reading this month’s edition! Let us know your predictions in the comment section. Join us next month for another edition of “Boom, Bust, or Meh!”
Are you looking forward to any of these films? What are your predictions? What film are you looking forward to most in February?
COVID-19 and the Film Industry
Boom, Bust, or Meh: March 2020
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