Here we look at the upcoming month’s offerings.
September 2, 2016
The Light Between Oceans
Premise: From IMDb: “A lighthouse keeper and his wife living off the coast of Western Australia raise a baby they rescue from an adrift rowboat.”
Box Office Prospects: $30 M
Expectations: Uncertain. This appears to be a hefty drama, which won’t play very well with regular audiences. That likely means that the film plays modestly through its short run and finishes unspectacularly.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. Everyone seems to think this is a solid player this year, but a Labor Day release is a bad sign. The Academy seldom pulls films relaesed over the holiday into its warm embrace. This might buck the tradition, but I’m not optimistic.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Light Between Oceans
Premise: From IMDb: “A lighthouse keeper and his wife living off the coast of Western Australia raise a baby they rescue from an adrift rowboat.”
Box Office Prospects: $30 M
Expectations: Uncertain. This appears to be a hefty drama, which won’t play very well with regular audiences. That likely means that the film plays modestly through its short run and finishes unspectacularly.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. Everyone seems to think this is a solid player this year, but a Labor Day release is a bad sign. The Academy seldom pulls films relaesed over the holiday into its warm embrace. This might buck the tradition, but I’m not optimistic.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Morgan
Premise: From IMDb: “A corporate risk-management consultant has to decide and determine whether or not to terminate an artificial being’s life that was made in a laboratory environment.”
Box Office Prospects: $25 M
Expectations: Weak. Horror has done well, but not on Labor Day weekend and certainly not sci-fi-horror, so I doubt the film will have much legs.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Max Rose (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A jazz pianist makes a discovery days before the death of his wife that causes him to believe his sixty-five year marriage was a lie. He embarks on an exploration of his own past that brings him face to face with a menagerie of characters from a bygone era.”
Box Office Prospects: $2.5 M
Expectations: Weak. There just isn’t much of a market for films about aging musicians. It will probably be big in France, but Jerry Lewis hasn’t been a major box office player here in a very long time.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. Another Labor Day release that has Oscar potential. This one, however, is even less likely to earn Oscar consideration. With the long gestation from festival launch to big screen release, Jerry Lewis may just have to try harder for a late-career accolade.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Yoga Hosers (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “Two teenage yoga enthusiasts team up with a legendary man-hunter to battle with an ancient evil presence that is threatening their major party plans.”
Box Office Prospects: $2 M
Expectations: Poor. Kevin Smith’s last two films were utter disasters at the box office and I suspect this film to follow that trajectory.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
September 9, 2016
Before I Wake
Premise: From IMDb: “A young couple adopt an orphaned child whose dreams – and nightmares – manifest physically as he sleeps.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Uncertain. September’s not a bad place to release horror films and this one certainly has some uniqueness to it that might appeal to modern horror fans, but I don’t expect it to be the next Paranormal Activity.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Sully
Premise: From IMDb: “The story of Chesley Sullenberger, who became a hero after gliding his plane along the water in the Hudson River, saving all of his 155 passengers.”
Box Office Prospects: $75 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Clint Eastwood seems to have two box office modes. Sub-$40 and $100 million plus. That means this film could be either a big hit or a troubling failure. Reviews will tell us more, but Tom Hanks has a better track record, so it’s possible the film finally tops out in the $70 or $80 million range.
Oscar Prospects: Good. If the critics embrace it, the film could be a player. Eastwood has long been admired by Oscar voters. The problem is the early release date tracks with past Oscar failures like Flags of Our Fathers, so they may be hoping for a box office gift rather than a shiny golden one.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
When the Bough Breaks
Premise: From IMDb: “A surrogate mom for a couple becomes dangerously obsessed with the soon-to-be father”
Box Office Prospects: $20 M
Expectations: Weak. The market for this type of film has fallen dramatically in the last couple of years. It seems that even the most intriguing concepts are failing to connect. I doubt this does much better than those.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Wild Life
Premise: From IMDb: “On a tiny exotic island, Tuesday, an outgoing parrot lives with his quirky animal friends in paradise. However, Tuesday can’t stop dreaming about discovering the world. After a violent storm, Tuesday and his friends wake up to find a strange creature on the beach: Robinson Crusoe. Tuesday immediately views Crusoe as his ticket off the island to explore new lands. Likewise, Crusoe soon realizes that the key to surviving on the island is through the help of Tuesday and the other animals. It isn’t always easy at first, as the animals don’t speak “human.” Slowly but surely, they all start living together in harmony, until one day, when their comfortable life is overturned by two savage cats, who wish to take control of the island. A battle ensues between the cats and the group of friends but Crusoe and the animals soon discover the true power of friendship up against all odds (even savage cats).”
Box Office Prospects: $35 M
Expectations: Weak. The animation doesn’t look good and while sometimes being animated helps win over family audiences without much else to do, I think so far this seems like it’s destined to be a dud.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
September 16, 2016
Blair Witch
Premise: From IMDb: “Involve[s] a group of college students on a camping trip who discover they are not alone.”
Box Office Prospects: $65 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The original film was a hit. The sequel was a bomb. That doesn’t leave many options for this film, which I suspect will play somewhere in the middle, likely on the high end of the average horror film in the last few years.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Bridget Jones’s Baby
Premise: From IMDb: “The continuing adventures of British publishing executive Bridget Jones as she enters her 40s.”
Box Office Prospects: $55 M
Expectations: Weak. It’s been far too long since the original films came out and, by all impressions, the sequel wasn’t very successful. Will fans still want to see her so long after or will this be another jolt of nostalgia like My Big Fat Greek Wedding‘s follow up this year, which was mostly a failure.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Snowden
Premise: From IMDb: “CIA employee Edward Snowden leaks thousands of classified documents to the press.”
Box Office Prospects: $50 M
Expectations: Uncertain. If you ask anyone how well Oliver Stone does at the box office recently, they’ll say he’s not performed well; however, looking at his numbers, they’ve been surprisingly solid. They haven’t been outright hits, but they haven’t been abject failures either. This could be another mid-sized feature.
Oscar Prospects: Poor. Stone hasn’t had an Oscar contender in over two decades. I doubt very much that this will break his streak, though it is still remotely possible.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
September 23, 2016
The Magnificent Seven
Premise: From IMDb: “Seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves.”
Box Office Prospects: $150 M
Expectations: Strong. With Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt being heavily touted for the film, I suspect that this might be the best performing western at the box office in too many years to count.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. The film has a lot of elements that might appeal to voters in the creative categories, but the top tier ones may be out of reach.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Storks
Premise: From IMDb: “Storks have moved on from delivering babies to packages. But when an order for a baby appears, the best delivery stork must scramble to fix the error by delivering the baby.”
Box Office Prospects: $120 M
Expectations: Decent. The film doesn’t look that great and the production house only has one film for reference. Still, any animated film of sufficient quality will do well at the box office, just not Disney or Pixar well.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. There are too many power players in competition this year. The film just doesn’t look like it has what it takes to compete heavily.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Dressmaker (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A glamorous woman returns to her small town in rural Australia. With her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women and exacts sweet revenge on those who did her wrong.”
Box Office Prospects: $12 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The cast alone could help propel this indie to a strong performance at the specialty box office, but even that isn’t a guarantee.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. There’s little doubt that a November release might suggest confidence in the principals of the film to carry out major Oscar consideration, but a September release doesn’t bolster confidence.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Queen of Katwe (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A young girl from Uganda trains to become a world chess champion.””
Box Office Prospects: $25 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Unless it’s built on an existing property, Disney’s live-action product hasn’t been able to live up to box office expectations. This is also quite different from a lot of those other films, which may be why it’s releasing at the specialty box office first. That said, I can’t imagine it breaking through very well.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. It looks like a quaint and emotionally potent little film, but I doubt the Academy will pay any attention to it.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
September 30, 2016
Deepwater Horizon
Premise: From IMDb: “A story set on the offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, which exploded during April 2010 and created the worst oil spill in U.S. history.”
Box Office Prospects: $80 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The subject matter doesn’t seem that interesting, but the action dramatics might help it make decent money at the box office.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. Apart from being an explosive film, which might merit consideration in the tech categories, the film’s subject matter is unlikely to impress voters elsewhere.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Edge of Seventeen
Premise: From IMDb: “High-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her older brother.”
Box Office Prospects: $65 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The film looks a lot funnier than it has any right to be, which might give it some legs. However, with so many films releasing the same day, it might get lost in the shuffle.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. Comedy gets no respect from the Academy, so I wouldn’t expect too much from the film, unless it blows away critics.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Masterminds
Premise: From IMDb: “A night guard at an armored car company in the Southern U.S. organizes one of the biggest bank heists in American history.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Weak. The R-rated comedy has had some failures recently and this long-delayed (studio woes) film doesn’t look like it’s about to be very successful.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Premise: From IMDb: “When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers.”
Box Office Prospects: $90 M
Expectations: Good. Tim Burton has a spotty track record, but this darling fantasy film, based on a popular novel, could do quite well at the box office considering the competition releasing around it.
Oscar Prospects: Good. Always look at Tim Burton films, regardless of actual quality, as potential Oscar nominees in the down ballot races. This certainly looks like it will be in play for several Oscar nominations.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
American Honey (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A teenage girl with nothing to lose joins a traveling magazine sales crew, and gets caught up in a whirlwind of hard partying, law bending and young love as she criss-crosses the Midwest with a band of misfits.”
Box Office Prospects: $3 M
Expectations: Doubtful. The film may have been positively received by critics, but I wouldn’t expect too much out of the specialty box office for this.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Before I Wake
Premise: From IMDb: “A young couple adopt an orphaned child whose dreams – and nightmares – manifest physically as he sleeps.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Uncertain. September’s not a bad place to release horror films and this one certainly has some uniqueness to it that might appeal to modern horror fans, but I don’t expect it to be the next Paranormal Activity.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Sully
Premise: From IMDb: “The story of Chesley Sullenberger, who became a hero after gliding his plane along the water in the Hudson River, saving all of his 155 passengers.”
Box Office Prospects: $75 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Clint Eastwood seems to have two box office modes. Sub-$40 and $100 million plus. That means this film could be either a big hit or a troubling failure. Reviews will tell us more, but Tom Hanks has a better track record, so it’s possible the film finally tops out in the $70 or $80 million range.
Oscar Prospects: Good. If the critics embrace it, the film could be a player. Eastwood has long been admired by Oscar voters. The problem is the early release date tracks with past Oscar failures like Flags of Our Fathers, so they may be hoping for a box office gift rather than a shiny golden one.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
When the Bough Breaks
Premise: From IMDb: “A surrogate mom for a couple becomes dangerously obsessed with the soon-to-be father”
Box Office Prospects: $20 M
Expectations: Weak. The market for this type of film has fallen dramatically in the last couple of years. It seems that even the most intriguing concepts are failing to connect. I doubt this does much better than those.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Wild Life
Premise: From IMDb: “On a tiny exotic island, Tuesday, an outgoing parrot lives with his quirky animal friends in paradise. However, Tuesday can’t stop dreaming about discovering the world. After a violent storm, Tuesday and his friends wake up to find a strange creature on the beach: Robinson Crusoe. Tuesday immediately views Crusoe as his ticket off the island to explore new lands. Likewise, Crusoe soon realizes that the key to surviving on the island is through the help of Tuesday and the other animals. It isn’t always easy at first, as the animals don’t speak “human.” Slowly but surely, they all start living together in harmony, until one day, when their comfortable life is overturned by two savage cats, who wish to take control of the island. A battle ensues between the cats and the group of friends but Crusoe and the animals soon discover the true power of friendship up against all odds (even savage cats).”
Box Office Prospects: $35 M
Expectations: Weak. The animation doesn’t look good and while sometimes being animated helps win over family audiences without much else to do, I think so far this seems like it’s destined to be a dud.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
September 16, 2016
Blair Witch
Premise: From IMDb: “Involve[s] a group of college students on a camping trip who discover they are not alone.”
Box Office Prospects: $65 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The original film was a hit. The sequel was a bomb. That doesn’t leave many options for this film, which I suspect will play somewhere in the middle, likely on the high end of the average horror film in the last few years.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Bridget Jones’s Baby
Premise: From IMDb: “The continuing adventures of British publishing executive Bridget Jones as she enters her 40s.”
Box Office Prospects: $55 M
Expectations: Weak. It’s been far too long since the original films came out and, by all impressions, the sequel wasn’t very successful. Will fans still want to see her so long after or will this be another jolt of nostalgia like My Big Fat Greek Wedding‘s follow up this year, which was mostly a failure.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Snowden
Premise: From IMDb: “CIA employee Edward Snowden leaks thousands of classified documents to the press.”
Box Office Prospects: $50 M
Expectations: Uncertain. If you ask anyone how well Oliver Stone does at the box office recently, they’ll say he’s not performed well; however, looking at his numbers, they’ve been surprisingly solid. They haven’t been outright hits, but they haven’t been abject failures either. This could be another mid-sized feature.
Oscar Prospects: Poor. Stone hasn’t had an Oscar contender in over two decades. I doubt very much that this will break his streak, though it is still remotely possible.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
September 23, 2016
The Magnificent Seven
Premise: From IMDb: “Seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves.”
Box Office Prospects: $150 M
Expectations: Strong. With Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt being heavily touted for the film, I suspect that this might be the best performing western at the box office in too many years to count.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. The film has a lot of elements that might appeal to voters in the creative categories, but the top tier ones may be out of reach.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Storks
Premise: From IMDb: “Storks have moved on from delivering babies to packages. But when an order for a baby appears, the best delivery stork must scramble to fix the error by delivering the baby.”
Box Office Prospects: $120 M
Expectations: Decent. The film doesn’t look that great and the production house only has one film for reference. Still, any animated film of sufficient quality will do well at the box office, just not Disney or Pixar well.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. There are too many power players in competition this year. The film just doesn’t look like it has what it takes to compete heavily.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Dressmaker (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A glamorous woman returns to her small town in rural Australia. With her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women and exacts sweet revenge on those who did her wrong.”
Box Office Prospects: $12 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The cast alone could help propel this indie to a strong performance at the specialty box office, but even that isn’t a guarantee.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. There’s little doubt that a November release might suggest confidence in the principals of the film to carry out major Oscar consideration, but a September release doesn’t bolster confidence.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Queen of Katwe (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A young girl from Uganda trains to become a world chess champion.””
Box Office Prospects: $25 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Unless it’s built on an existing property, Disney’s live-action product hasn’t been able to live up to box office expectations. This is also quite different from a lot of those other films, which may be why it’s releasing at the specialty box office first. That said, I can’t imagine it breaking through very well.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. It looks like a quaint and emotionally potent little film, but I doubt the Academy will pay any attention to it.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
September 30, 2016
Deepwater Horizon
Premise: From IMDb: “A story set on the offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, which exploded during April 2010 and created the worst oil spill in U.S. history.”
Box Office Prospects: $80 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The subject matter doesn’t seem that interesting, but the action dramatics might help it make decent money at the box office.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. Apart from being an explosive film, which might merit consideration in the tech categories, the film’s subject matter is unlikely to impress voters elsewhere.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Edge of Seventeen
Premise: From IMDb: “High-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her older brother.”
Box Office Prospects: $65 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The film looks a lot funnier than it has any right to be, which might give it some legs. However, with so many films releasing the same day, it might get lost in the shuffle.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. Comedy gets no respect from the Academy, so I wouldn’t expect too much from the film, unless it blows away critics.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Masterminds
Premise: From IMDb: “A night guard at an armored car company in the Southern U.S. organizes one of the biggest bank heists in American history.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Weak. The R-rated comedy has had some failures recently and this long-delayed (studio woes) film doesn’t look like it’s about to be very successful.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Premise: From IMDb: “When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers.”
Box Office Prospects: $90 M
Expectations: Good. Tim Burton has a spotty track record, but this darling fantasy film, based on a popular novel, could do quite well at the box office considering the competition releasing around it.
Oscar Prospects: Good. Always look at Tim Burton films, regardless of actual quality, as potential Oscar nominees in the down ballot races. This certainly looks like it will be in play for several Oscar nominations.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
American Honey (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A teenage girl with nothing to lose joins a traveling magazine sales crew, and gets caught up in a whirlwind of hard partying, law bending and young love as she criss-crosses the Midwest with a band of misfits.”
Box Office Prospects: $3 M
Expectations: Doubtful. The film may have been positively received by critics, but I wouldn’t expect too much out of the specialty box office for this.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Blair Witch
Premise: From IMDb: “Involve[s] a group of college students on a camping trip who discover they are not alone.”
Box Office Prospects: $65 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The original film was a hit. The sequel was a bomb. That doesn’t leave many options for this film, which I suspect will play somewhere in the middle, likely on the high end of the average horror film in the last few years.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Bridget Jones’s Baby
Premise: From IMDb: “The continuing adventures of British publishing executive Bridget Jones as she enters her 40s.”
Box Office Prospects: $55 M
Expectations: Weak. It’s been far too long since the original films came out and, by all impressions, the sequel wasn’t very successful. Will fans still want to see her so long after or will this be another jolt of nostalgia like My Big Fat Greek Wedding‘s follow up this year, which was mostly a failure.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Snowden
Premise: From IMDb: “CIA employee Edward Snowden leaks thousands of classified documents to the press.”
Box Office Prospects: $50 M
Expectations: Uncertain. If you ask anyone how well Oliver Stone does at the box office recently, they’ll say he’s not performed well; however, looking at his numbers, they’ve been surprisingly solid. They haven’t been outright hits, but they haven’t been abject failures either. This could be another mid-sized feature.
Oscar Prospects: Poor. Stone hasn’t had an Oscar contender in over two decades. I doubt very much that this will break his streak, though it is still remotely possible.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
September 23, 2016
The Magnificent Seven
Premise: From IMDb: “Seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves.”
Box Office Prospects: $150 M
Expectations: Strong. With Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt being heavily touted for the film, I suspect that this might be the best performing western at the box office in too many years to count.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. The film has a lot of elements that might appeal to voters in the creative categories, but the top tier ones may be out of reach.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Storks
Premise: From IMDb: “Storks have moved on from delivering babies to packages. But when an order for a baby appears, the best delivery stork must scramble to fix the error by delivering the baby.”
Box Office Prospects: $120 M
Expectations: Decent. The film doesn’t look that great and the production house only has one film for reference. Still, any animated film of sufficient quality will do well at the box office, just not Disney or Pixar well.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. There are too many power players in competition this year. The film just doesn’t look like it has what it takes to compete heavily.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Dressmaker (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A glamorous woman returns to her small town in rural Australia. With her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women and exacts sweet revenge on those who did her wrong.”
Box Office Prospects: $12 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The cast alone could help propel this indie to a strong performance at the specialty box office, but even that isn’t a guarantee.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. There’s little doubt that a November release might suggest confidence in the principals of the film to carry out major Oscar consideration, but a September release doesn’t bolster confidence.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Queen of Katwe (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A young girl from Uganda trains to become a world chess champion.””
Box Office Prospects: $25 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Unless it’s built on an existing property, Disney’s live-action product hasn’t been able to live up to box office expectations. This is also quite different from a lot of those other films, which may be why it’s releasing at the specialty box office first. That said, I can’t imagine it breaking through very well.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. It looks like a quaint and emotionally potent little film, but I doubt the Academy will pay any attention to it.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
September 30, 2016
Deepwater Horizon
Premise: From IMDb: “A story set on the offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, which exploded during April 2010 and created the worst oil spill in U.S. history.”
Box Office Prospects: $80 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The subject matter doesn’t seem that interesting, but the action dramatics might help it make decent money at the box office.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. Apart from being an explosive film, which might merit consideration in the tech categories, the film’s subject matter is unlikely to impress voters elsewhere.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Edge of Seventeen
Premise: From IMDb: “High-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her older brother.”
Box Office Prospects: $65 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The film looks a lot funnier than it has any right to be, which might give it some legs. However, with so many films releasing the same day, it might get lost in the shuffle.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. Comedy gets no respect from the Academy, so I wouldn’t expect too much from the film, unless it blows away critics.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Masterminds
Premise: From IMDb: “A night guard at an armored car company in the Southern U.S. organizes one of the biggest bank heists in American history.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Weak. The R-rated comedy has had some failures recently and this long-delayed (studio woes) film doesn’t look like it’s about to be very successful.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Premise: From IMDb: “When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers.”
Box Office Prospects: $90 M
Expectations: Good. Tim Burton has a spotty track record, but this darling fantasy film, based on a popular novel, could do quite well at the box office considering the competition releasing around it.
Oscar Prospects: Good. Always look at Tim Burton films, regardless of actual quality, as potential Oscar nominees in the down ballot races. This certainly looks like it will be in play for several Oscar nominations.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
American Honey (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A teenage girl with nothing to lose joins a traveling magazine sales crew, and gets caught up in a whirlwind of hard partying, law bending and young love as she criss-crosses the Midwest with a band of misfits.”
Box Office Prospects: $3 M
Expectations: Doubtful. The film may have been positively received by critics, but I wouldn’t expect too much out of the specialty box office for this.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Magnificent Seven
Premise: From IMDb: “Seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves.”
Box Office Prospects: $150 M
Expectations: Strong. With Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt being heavily touted for the film, I suspect that this might be the best performing western at the box office in too many years to count.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. The film has a lot of elements that might appeal to voters in the creative categories, but the top tier ones may be out of reach.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Storks
Premise: From IMDb: “Storks have moved on from delivering babies to packages. But when an order for a baby appears, the best delivery stork must scramble to fix the error by delivering the baby.”
Box Office Prospects: $120 M
Expectations: Decent. The film doesn’t look that great and the production house only has one film for reference. Still, any animated film of sufficient quality will do well at the box office, just not Disney or Pixar well.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. There are too many power players in competition this year. The film just doesn’t look like it has what it takes to compete heavily.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Dressmaker (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A glamorous woman returns to her small town in rural Australia. With her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women and exacts sweet revenge on those who did her wrong.”
Box Office Prospects: $12 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The cast alone could help propel this indie to a strong performance at the specialty box office, but even that isn’t a guarantee.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. There’s little doubt that a November release might suggest confidence in the principals of the film to carry out major Oscar consideration, but a September release doesn’t bolster confidence.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Queen of Katwe (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A young girl from Uganda trains to become a world chess champion.””
Box Office Prospects: $25 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Unless it’s built on an existing property, Disney’s live-action product hasn’t been able to live up to box office expectations. This is also quite different from a lot of those other films, which may be why it’s releasing at the specialty box office first. That said, I can’t imagine it breaking through very well.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. It looks like a quaint and emotionally potent little film, but I doubt the Academy will pay any attention to it.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
September 30, 2016
Deepwater Horizon
Premise: From IMDb: “A story set on the offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, which exploded during April 2010 and created the worst oil spill in U.S. history.”
Box Office Prospects: $80 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The subject matter doesn’t seem that interesting, but the action dramatics might help it make decent money at the box office.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. Apart from being an explosive film, which might merit consideration in the tech categories, the film’s subject matter is unlikely to impress voters elsewhere.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Edge of Seventeen
Premise: From IMDb: “High-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her older brother.”
Box Office Prospects: $65 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The film looks a lot funnier than it has any right to be, which might give it some legs. However, with so many films releasing the same day, it might get lost in the shuffle.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. Comedy gets no respect from the Academy, so I wouldn’t expect too much from the film, unless it blows away critics.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Masterminds
Premise: From IMDb: “A night guard at an armored car company in the Southern U.S. organizes one of the biggest bank heists in American history.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Weak. The R-rated comedy has had some failures recently and this long-delayed (studio woes) film doesn’t look like it’s about to be very successful.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Premise: From IMDb: “When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers.”
Box Office Prospects: $90 M
Expectations: Good. Tim Burton has a spotty track record, but this darling fantasy film, based on a popular novel, could do quite well at the box office considering the competition releasing around it.
Oscar Prospects: Good. Always look at Tim Burton films, regardless of actual quality, as potential Oscar nominees in the down ballot races. This certainly looks like it will be in play for several Oscar nominations.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
American Honey (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A teenage girl with nothing to lose joins a traveling magazine sales crew, and gets caught up in a whirlwind of hard partying, law bending and young love as she criss-crosses the Midwest with a band of misfits.”
Box Office Prospects: $3 M
Expectations: Doubtful. The film may have been positively received by critics, but I wouldn’t expect too much out of the specialty box office for this.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Deepwater Horizon
Premise: From IMDb: “A story set on the offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, which exploded during April 2010 and created the worst oil spill in U.S. history.”
Box Office Prospects: $80 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The subject matter doesn’t seem that interesting, but the action dramatics might help it make decent money at the box office.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. Apart from being an explosive film, which might merit consideration in the tech categories, the film’s subject matter is unlikely to impress voters elsewhere.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
The Edge of Seventeen
Premise: From IMDb: “High-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her older brother.”
Box Office Prospects: $65 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The film looks a lot funnier than it has any right to be, which might give it some legs. However, with so many films releasing the same day, it might get lost in the shuffle.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful. Comedy gets no respect from the Academy, so I wouldn’t expect too much from the film, unless it blows away critics.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Masterminds
Premise: From IMDb: “A night guard at an armored car company in the Southern U.S. organizes one of the biggest bank heists in American history.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Weak. The R-rated comedy has had some failures recently and this long-delayed (studio woes) film doesn’t look like it’s about to be very successful.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Premise: From IMDb: “When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers.”
Box Office Prospects: $90 M
Expectations: Good. Tim Burton has a spotty track record, but this darling fantasy film, based on a popular novel, could do quite well at the box office considering the competition releasing around it.
Oscar Prospects: Good. Always look at Tim Burton films, regardless of actual quality, as potential Oscar nominees in the down ballot races. This certainly looks like it will be in play for several Oscar nominations.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
American Honey (Limited)
Premise: From IMDb: “A teenage girl with nothing to lose joins a traveling magazine sales crew, and gets caught up in a whirlwind of hard partying, law bending and young love as she criss-crosses the Midwest with a band of misfits.”
Box Office Prospects: $3 M
Expectations: Doubtful. The film may have been positively received by critics, but I wouldn’t expect too much out of the specialty box office for this.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.
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