There are no two bigger months at theaters. While the Summer may provide box office swing, both box office and Oscars dominate the final two months of the year with November likely the biggest of them all. This year, a number of top notch films will compete for audience dollars and critics’ appreciation going into the final weeks of pre-Oscar wrangling. This November features one of the most impressive line-ups Oscar has seen in some time, with many of them strong contenders for one or multiple nominations.

August 1, 2014

Get On Up

Premise: From IMDb: “A chronicle of James Brown’s rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.”
Box Office Prospects: $60 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The last biopic of a major black musical genius made just $75 million at the box office. Ray, about legendary crooner Ray Charles performed well based on a couple of factors, including the popularity of star Jamie Foxx and its Oscar prospects. This film has the same prospects with Oscar, but may struggle with audiences since the star isn’t as familiar to audiences as Foxx was. Chadwick Boseman has the strong preformer 42 to bolster his resume and James Brown is as legendary, if not more so than Ray Charles. This is also Tate Taylor’s follow-up to The Help, which was sleeper hit in roughly the same frame back in 2011. That could bolster its potential, but The Help was based on a hugely popular book, which will not help this film one bit. It’s possible the film could out-perform Ray, but I’m suspecting it will severely underperform.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. The film has a lot of potential for Oscar nominations, not the least of which is star Chadwick Boseman whose depiction of James Brown from the trailers suggests a powerhouse. If the film can live up to his capabilities, it could be a strong contender. Critics will have to at least partially agree, though.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Premise: From IMDb: “In the far reaches of space, an American pilot named Peter Quill finds himself the object of a manhunt after stealing an orb coveted by the villainous Ronan.”
Box Office Prospects: $180 M
Expectations: Good. Based on a series of comics that aren’t as widely known as The Avengers, Disney and Marvel are trying to launch a new franchise outside of its current universe, but with light ties to the existing one. The trailer also focuses more on the comic aspects of the film rather than the action, which might put butts in seats. However, without that unequivocal familiarity, the film might have trouble gaining a toe-hold within the superhero universe.
Oscar Prospects: Good. It’s Marvel’s only release this year and could be the one Disney pushes most for the Visual Effects category, if not Sound Mixing and Sound Editing. With two entirely-CGI characters, plus heavy makeup effects on two other characters, the film could secure nominations in two categories, Visual Effects and Makeup and Hairstyling, but could also make appearances in the two sound categories.

August 8, 2014

The Hundred-Foot Journey

Premise: From IMDb: “A story centered on an Indian family who moves to France and opens an eatery across the street from a Michelin-starred French restaurant run by Madame Mallory.”
Box Office Prospects: $80 M
Expectations: Decent. August has been surprisingly lucrative for non-traditional moviegoers. Audiences made films like The Help, Julie & Julia and Eat Pray Live solid performers at the box office. This could help Helen Mirren’s new film, which is also based on a popular book like those three films, which could bolster its chances at the box office. However, with the heavy focus on Indian and French cultures, it might not be as popular at the box office as those other three films.
Oscar Prospects: Poor. Apart from Helen Mirren competing for her annual nomination, the film doesn’t look like the type that scores Oscar nominations. I don’t even think Mirren could float this one to Oscar. She may get a lot of nominations, but she’s no Meryl Streep.

Into the Storm

Premise: From IMDb: “A group of high school students document the events and aftermath of a devastating tornado.”
Box Office Prospects: $50 M
Expectations: Poor. Advertising has been minimal and with no major stars attached, the film will have to sell itself on the action-heavy visual effects sequences. Tornado films don’t have much of a track record at the box office, but there have been too few to say that will be a contributing factor. Twister was the last major film to feature the deadly weather phenomena, adjusted for inflation, that film’s $241 million becomes $444 million, which is quite a total. This film just doesn’t have the potential or the foundation to make a play for anything even remotely close to that.
Oscar Prospects: Weak. Without a blockbuster status, the film’s visual effects aren’t likely to trigger the Oscar certainty Twister had and even that film failed to beat out Independence Day for the Oscar.

Step Up: All In

Premise: From IMDb: “All-stars from the previous Step Up installments come together in glittering Las Vegas, battling for a victory that could define their dreams and their careers.”
Box Office Prospects: $30 M
Expectations: (NOTE: These comments are copied directly from my July preview. The film was pushed back into August, but I see no need to change my prior thoughts) Poor. The law of diminishing returns applies very well to this franchise. After a strong performance with the first film, each subsequent outing has made less and less money. Ergo, this one will become the weakest performer of the franchise to date, though that might not spell the end of the series.
Oscar Prospects: None.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Premise: From IMDb: “Darkness has settled over New York City as Shredder and his evil Foot Clan have an iron grip on everything from the police to the politicians. The future is grim until four unlikely outcast brothers rise from the sewers and discover their destiny as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Turtles must work with fearless reporter April O’Neil and her cameraman Vern Fenwick to save the city and unravel Shredder’s diabolical plan.”
Box Office Prospects: $100 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The first attempt at a big screen franchise back in 1990 was a surprise hit taking in $135 million then. The subsequent films had a quick drop off in box office takes, so it was quickly shelved. They tried unsuccessfully to reboot the franchise in 2007, so 7 years later they hope to reverse course. This time, they are hyping the Michael Bay connection (he’s a producer and little else), which could bring it extra attention; However, I haven’t heard anyone whose supremely excited for the trailers that have been out, so it could also end up a costly dud like it did in 2007.
Oscar Prospects: None.

August 15, 2014

As Above, So Below

Premise: From IMDb: “A thriller centered on two archaeologists in search of a lost treasure in the catacombs below Paris.”
Box Office Prospects: $15 M
Expectations: Poor. Another found footage horror film is looking for a August boost from audiences who have been increasingly uninterested in horror films, at least ones that don’t seem to offer anything new. While there are some weird things going on in the trailer, it just doesn’t feel like it’s sold the film enough to make it a mid-sized hit.
Oscar Prospects: None.

The Expendables 3

Premise: From IMDb: “Barney and his team, known as “The Expendables”, come into conflict with ruthless arms dealer Conrad Stonebanks, the Expendables’ co-founder, who is determined to destroy the team.”
Box Office Prospects: $70 M
Expectations: Weak. Fading. That’s how a lot of franchises end up once they’ve worn out their welcome. The first Expendables was enough of a hit that they added other former action stars and came out with a sequel two years later that took a drop at the box office from its predecessor. That hasn’t stopped Sylvester Stallone and company from adding yet more action stars and trying again. I suspect this one will continue the steady decline and as long as these actors don’t demand more money, the fourth scheduled installment should go off without a hitch.
Oscar Prospects: None.

The Giver

Premise: From IMDb: “In a seemingly perfect community, without war, pain, suffering, differences or choice, a young boy is chosen to learn from an elderly man about the true pain and pleasure of the “real” world.”
Box Office Prospects: $35 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The Giver is a widely popular young adult novel that producers are hoping will turn out readers to the film and make it another hit. The film can’t have a sequel because of where the book ends, but the trailer doesn’t give one hope that it will be as faithful to the book as it needs to be. If there’s even a whiff of dishonesty about the film, its chances fade fast. Of course, a fairly faithful adaptation could have the opposite effect and result in a nice box office tally.
Oscar Prospects: Weak. The film looks an awful lot like multi-Oscar nominee Pleasantville and it’s been long enough that some may have forgotten it. However, I suspect the film will require a lot of support from critics to truly rise out of Pleasantville‘s shadow and pick up some Oscar nominations. It would also help if the film became a contender for a Best Picture nomination, which I seriously doubt.

Let’s Be Cops

Premise: From IMDb: “Two struggling pals dress as police officers for a costume party and become neighborhood sensations. But when these newly-minted “heroes” get tangled in a real life web of mobsters and dirty detectives, they must put their fake badges on the line.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Uncertain. While August isn’t the doldrums it used to be, there are certain types of films that attempt August launches that will be lucky to become sleeper hits. This film could tap into the Ride Along zeitgeist and become an unqualified hit. However, Damon Wayans Jr. hasn’t exactly had the best luck at the box office.
Oscar Prospects: None.

August 22, 2014

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Premise: From IMDb: “The town’s most hard-boiled citizens cross paths with some of its more reviled inhabitants.”
Box Office Prospects: $50 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Nine years ago, Sin City became a decent-sized April hit, tapping into a market that was happy to buy into the noir style that would eventually launch the Zack Snyder generation. However, that’s a long time to wait for a long-in-development sequel. This time, the cast has been switched around putting a number of actors who’ve not had success at the box office together and hoping to draw millions of viewers who were fans fo the original. I suspect the same type of drop-off as the 300 films will likely occur.
Oscar Prospects: Poor. The first film was talked about as a potential nominee in Production Design, Costume Design and especially Cinematography. It was completely ignored. More of the same awaits this film.

If I Stay

Premise: From IMDb: “Life changes in an instant for young Mia Hall after a car accident puts her in a coma. During an out-of-body experience, she must decide whether to wake up and live a life far different than she had imagined.”
Box Office Prospects: $25 M
Expectations: Poor. An untested director with an actress who hasn’t been a box office darling, this should be an interesting experiment in counter-programming when it’s the only woman-friendly title at the cineplex.
Oscar Prospects: None.

When the Game Stands Tall

Premise: From IMDb: “The journey of legendary football coach Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel), who took the De La Salle High School Spartans from obscurity to a 151-game winning streak that shattered all records for any American sport.”
Box Office Prospects: $55 M
Expectations: Mediocre. The high school football genre has had some successes, but most of the films have been mid-range performers that struggled without a major star at the helm. Jim Caviezel isn’t that star.
Oscar Prospects: None.

August 29, 2014

Jessabelle

Premise: From IMDb: “Returning to her childhood home in Louisiana to recuperate from a horrific car accident, Jessabelle comes face to face with a long-tormented spirit that has been seeking her return — and has no intention of letting her escape.”
Box Office Prospects: $40 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The genre has been hit-or-miss recently and I don’t know that it will let up for this film. The supernatural elements may help turn it into an unqualified hit for the genre, but I’m not optimistic.
Oscar Prospects: None.

The Loft

Premise: From IMDb: “Five friends who share a loft for their extramarital affairs begin to question one another after the murdered body of an unknown young woman is found in the property.”
Box Office Prospects: $15 M
Expectations: Poor. It might be an interesting concept, but nothing about this film sounds like a major player at the box office.
Oscar Prospects: None.

The November Man

Premise: From IMDb: “An ex-CIA operative is brought back in on a very personal mission and finds himself pitted against his former pupil in a deadly game involving high level CIA officials and the Russian president-elect.”
Box Office Prospects: $50 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Pierce Brosnan is the latest aging celebrity to try and revive his career as an aging secret agent (or action star or what have you). Liam Neeson’s huge successes are getting to people and I just can’t imagine this film roaring into the box office with any measurable success.
Oscar Prospects: None.