Here we look at the upcoming month’s offerings.

September 3, 2021

Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Premise: From IMDb: “The movie, based on Marvel Comics, will focus on Shang-Chi; ‘The Master of Kung-Fu’.”
Box Office Prospects: $170 M
Expectations: Good. Black Widow managed to pull in over $170 million at the box office, which means Marvel is still good, even in a pandemic, for drawing people to the theater. That said, attendance has been dropping ever since, so this might be wishful thinking.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. While the MCU has done decently in the past scoring Oscar nominations, their product hasn’t always made the case, but this film certainly could due to its more fantastical elements.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

September 10, 2021

The Card Counter

Premise: From IMDb: “The film, written and directed by Schrader, follows William Tell (Isaac), a gambler and former serviceman who sets out to reform a young man seeking revenge on a mutual enemy from their past. Tell just wants to play cards. His spartan existence on the casino trail is shattered when he is approached by Cirk, a vulnerable and angry young man seeking help to execute his plan for revenge on a military colonel. Tell sees a chance at redemption through his relationship with Cirk. Gaining backing from mysterious gambling financier La Linda, Tell takes Cirk with him on the road, going from casino to casino until the unlikely trio set their sights on winning the World Series of poker in Las Vegas. But keeping Cirk on the straight-and-narrow proves impossible, dragging Tell back into the darkness of his past.”
Box Office Prospects: $10 M
Expectations: Poor. This is just not he kind of film audiences want to see in theaters. If it were being released on a limited basis, my prediction would be much much lower.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. Paul Schrader has picked up Oscar nominations in the past for films no one thought would contend, but the wide release here might suggest the film isn’t the kind that would please Oscar voters.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Malignant

Premise: From IMDb: “Original horror thriller from director James Wan.”
Box Office Prospects: $40 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The pandemic hasn’t been good to horror films, with A Quiet Place, Part II the notable exception. I wouldn’t expect a new film with no predecessors to do terribly well.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Queenpins

Premise: From IMDb: “A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam.”
Box Office Prospects: $35 M
Expectations: Uncertain. This mob comedy with women at its center seems like a rudimentary attempt to try something new in the genre, but without the kind of excitement and fun other such efforts possess, which won’t help it at the box office.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

September 17, 2021

Blue Bayou

Premise: From IMDb: “As a Korean-American man raised in the Louisiana bayou works hard to make a life for his family, he must confront the ghosts of his past as he discovers that he could be deported from the only country he has ever called home.”
Box Office Prospects: $10 M
Expectations: Weak. While this kind of movie could appeal to Oscar voters, mass audiences aren’t that interested in this kind of movie.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. The similarities in themes to a film like Minari might help it with Oscar voters, but buzz has been light so far, thus I wouldn’t expect too much at this juncture.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

CopShop

Premise: From IMDb: “A small town police station becomes the unlikely battleground between a professional hitman, a smart female rookie cop and a double crossing conman who seeks refuge behind bars with no place left to run.”
Box Office Prospects: $40 M
Expectations: Uncertain. It looks like a madcap comedy thriller, which we could use more of, but there’s little about the trailer that suggests this will be a box office smash.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Cry Macho

Premise: From IMDb: “A one-time rodeo star and washed-up horse breeder takes a job to bring a man’s young son home and away from his alcoholic mom. On their journey, the horseman finds redemption through teaching the boy what it means to be a good man.”
Box Office Prospects: $60 M
Expectations: Good. Clint Eastwood has done surprisingly well at the box office in recent years, Richard Jewell notwithstanding. So the film could do quite well, but the box office is office this year, so don’t expect anything too outrageous.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. Never underestimate Eastwood and Oscar voters, but this feels more like Gran Turino than American Sniper.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Premise: From IMDb: “An intimate look at the extraordinary rise, fall and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker.”
Box Office Prospects: $15 M
Expectations: Weak. This isn’t the kind of movie that does gangbuster business at the box office. Matter of fact, it’s impossible to know why this is releasing wide and not platforming. Regardless, I wouldn’t expect the film to do much box office, especially when you see what else is releasing the same weekend.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. Before the pandemic pushed a number of potential Oscar contenders off the release schedule, this was thought to be a major Oscar contender and certainly it could still be, but September is the worst of the four Oscar season months to release a potential Oscar contender, so maybe it’s not as much of a contender as we expected.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

September 24, 2021

Dear Evan Hanson

Premise: From IMDb: “Film adaptation of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical about Evan Hansen, a high school senior with Social Anxiety disorder and his journey of self-discovery and acceptance following the suicide of a fellow classmate.”
Box Office Prospects: $40 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The popular stage musical could be a surprise breakout success, but such adaptations have struggled in recent years to get butts in the seats, so it’s doubtful the pandemic box office is the best place to release this one.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. Oscar voters have a hot-and-cold relationship with movie musicals and with something like West Side Story looming on the horizon, the acclaimed stage musical might not make as many waves at the Oscars as it would hope.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.