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.

July 2, 2014

Deliver Us from Evil

Premise: From IMDb: “NY police officer Ralph Sarchie (Eric Bana), investigates a series of crimes. He joins forces with an unconventional priest (Edgar Ramirez), schooled in the rituals of exorcism, to combat the possessions that are terrorizing their city.”
Box Office Prospects: $20 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The trailers get some of the peril right, but make this look more like a supernatural thriller rather than a supernatural horror film and none of that may be very convincing to an audience that’s growing weary of the genre.
Oscar Prospects: None.

Earth to Echo

Premise: From IMDb: “After receiving a bizarre series of encrypted messages, a group of kids embark on an adventure with an alien who needs their help.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Uncertain. There aren’t a lot of family films going at the cineplexes, but even such, it’s hard to sell them when they do show up. The previews aren’t bad and could encourage brisk attendance, but it may not be enough to make it a hit.
Oscar Prospects: None.

Tammy

Premise: From IMDb: “After losing her job and learning that her husband has been unfaithful, a woman hits the road with her profane, hard-drinking grandmother.”
Box Office Prospects: $100 M
Expectations: Good. Melissa McCarthy has proven to be a stalwart box office performer, but it’s almost always been while accompanied by other strong presences (Sandra Bullock, Jason Bateman). This will be her first real test of her star power. It should do well, but may not be as big a hit as her past outings.
Oscar Prospects: None.

July 4, 2014

Life Itself (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “A documentary film that recounts the inspiring and entertaining life of world-renowned film critic and social commentator Roger Ebert.”
Box Office Prospects: $10 M
Expectations: Weak. As much as Roger Ebert is a beloved figure in the film criticism community, his film just doesn’t seem like the kind of cross-over documentary that does superb box office business. It will outperform many, but not the top performers.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. The film industry tends to avoid film-related documentaries. While this one might have more life-affirming qualities, I can’t see the Academy giving it the thumbs up.

July 11, 2014

And So It Goes

Premise: From IMDb: “A self-centered realtor enlists the help of his neighbor when he’s suddenly left in charge of the granddaughter he never knew existed until his estranged son drops her off at his home.”
Box Office Prospects: $35 M
Expectations: Poor. In spite of box office tallies to the contrary, studios still think they can sell romantic dramas to older audiences, this time putting Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton together. Neither has been particularly skilled at pulling people to the theaters, so I wouldn’t expect much from this.
Oscar Prospects: None.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Premise: From IMDb: “A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.”
Box Office Prospects: $200 M
Expectations: Good. The predecessor did incredibly well for a reboot of the franchise. Since then, it has only risen in estimation, making it a strong contender for one of the year’s stronger debuts.
Oscar Prospects: Good. The first film narrowly lost the Best Visual Effects Oscar to a late surge by Martin Scorsese’s Hugo. This time out, it has a lot more competition, but should still manage to secure a nomination in the category. Other categories may not be as easy.

The Fluffy Movie

Premise: From IMDb: “A documentary that captures the on-stage performance and inspirational success story of Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias.”
Box Office Prospects: $15 M
Expectations: Poor. Concert documentaries, especially comedy ones, just don’t draw audiences the way you might expect. Gabriel Iglesias isn’t the global star that Justin Bieber is and Bieber couldn’t even get his fans to see his second documentary. While this one is obviously targeted at Hispanic audiences, there’s only so much clout they have at the box office.
Oscar Prospects: None.

Boyhood (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “The life of a young man, Mason, from age 5 to age 18.”
Box Office Prospects: $10 M
Expectations: Decent. Richard Linklater is a beloved indie cinema figure and his multi-year filmmaking odyssey will very likely pique the interests of that kind of crowd. It’s not likely going to be a break out hit and while some non-Linklater fans may turn out, ultimately the film will only have so high a ceiling before it stops gaining traction.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. The sheer audacity of this project could earn it a screenwriting nomination at the Oscars, but the film would have to do excellent box office and become one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year to get beyond that category limitation.

July 18, 2014

Planes: Fire & Rescue

Premise: From IMDb: “When world-famous air racer Dusty learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial firefighting. Dusty joins forces with veteran fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger and his team, a bunch of all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire, and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero.”
Box Office Prospects: $75 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Although its predecessor didn’t even come close to the heights of the Cars franchise, it performed well enough to earn a sequel. The first Planes was largely disliked, though, which may limit its potential as a box office contender. I suspect the tallies will be less than its predecessor, but not enough to dissuade future sequels.
Oscar Prospects: None.

The Purge: Anarchy

Premise: From IMDb: “A young couple works to survive on the streets after their car breaks down right as the annual purge commences.”
Box Office Prospects: $70 M
Expectations: Good. The first film was a success for horror fans everywhere and with a year of video sales to bolster interest, the sequel could still do quite well. The cast is diversified and the setting spread across the city, but that may only increase interest in the film as fans want to discover what’s going on in the world outside of the cloistered house from the original.
Oscar Prospects: None.

Sex Tape

Premise: From IMDb: “A married couple wake up to discover that the sex tape they made the evening before has gone missing, leading to a frantic search for its whereabouts.”
Box Office Prospects: $40 M
Expectations: Weak. Jason Segel keeps getting work even though the box office has never warmed to him. This time, he’s being paired with Cameron Diaz in the hopes that her familiarity will help bolster the film’s chances. The problem is that Diaz hasn’t exactly been a huge box office draw in recent years suggesting the film may struggle to get a foothold in the marketplace.
Oscar Prospects: None.

Mood Indigo (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “Wealthy, inventive bachelor endeavors to find a cure for his lover Chloe after she’s diagnosed with an unusual illness caused by a flower growing in her lungs.”
Box Office Prospects: $5 M
Expectations: Weak. Michel Gondry is such an uneven filmmaker even if his bizarre sensibilities pique the curiosity. While he’s had a couple of hits, he’s had significantly more misses, especially when he tackles bizarre subjects on an indie scale. Add to that the fact that the film is largely in French and you have a recipe for box office disinterest.
Oscar Prospects: Poor. Gondry’s history with the Academy has been equally uneven and I see little reason to believe that this film will suddenly turn those tides for him.

July 25, 2014

Hercules

Premise: From IMDb: “Having endured his legendary twelve labors, Hercules, the Greek demigod, has his life as a sword-for-hire tested when the King of Thrace and his daughter seek his aid in defeating a tyrannical warlord.”
Box Office Prospects: $100 M
Expectations: Good. As easy as it would be to say that Dwayne Johnson’s box office success is entirely because of the films he’s in and not his star status, it’s hard to argue with the consistent string of box office successes as he’s had. Add to that the sword-and-sandal spectacle of this Greek-ish (Hercules is the Roman name of the demigod, Heracles is the Greek) odyssey and you should have a modest hit, especially with little else on the box office horizon.
Oscar Prospects: Unlikely. Even box office hits aren’t Oscar magnets and this one will struggle to stand out in a sea of special effects-heavy features this year. No matter how impressive, don’t expect anything from Oscar.

Lucy

Premise: From IMDb: “A woman, accidentally caught in a dark deal, turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic.”
Box Office Prospects: $25 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Luc Besson doesn’t have the best track record and even with Scarlett Johansson on board, there is no guarantee of a hit. However, the trailers are striking and Johansson’s visibility is the highest it’s ever been thanks to her exposure with the Avengers franchise films, so it’s possible it could do much better than I expect.
Oscar Prospects: None.

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: 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.

Magic in the Moonlight (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “A romantic comedy about an Englishman brought in to help unmask a possible swindle. Personal and professional complications ensue.”
Box Office Prospects: $30 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Woody Allen is as inconsistent as any independent filmmaker working today. Critics have to unabashedly embrace his films for them to become anything of a success and sometimes that’s not even helpful. Suffice it to say, he’ll do decently, but not specacularly as this film doesn’t sound like it has the kind of hit-making concept that he typically soars with.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. With no major attention pushed on his actors this time around, Woody’s going to struggle to make an impact with Oscar. While it’s possible he still gets a screenwriting nomination or one of his actor’s gets a performance nod, the film will have to be better than most everything he’s done in recent years to make it into Best Picture or, even more difficultly, Best Director.