Here we look at the upcoming month’s offerings.

April 1, 2016

Amityville: The Awakening

Premise: From IMDb: “A single mother moves her three children into the haunted house not knowing of the house’s bloody history.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Weak. The Amityville franchise has been a relative box office weakling, never exceeding standard horror film grosses outside of its original 1979 run. This one doesn’t seem to have much anticipation built around it and the premise is flimsy enough that it may not even do this well.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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Collide

Premise: From IMDb: “An American backpacker gets involved with a ring of drug smugglers as their driver, though he winds up on the run from his employers across Munich’s high-speed Autobahn.”
Box Office Prospects: $5 M
Expectations: Weak. A studio with limited success as a distributor from a director with no track record and a cast that fails almost as often as it succeeds makes for a very unlikely hit. Throw in its perpetually pushed back release date and if this if film is a hit, I’ll be astounded.
Oscar Prospects: None.

God’s Not Dead 2

Premise: From IMDb: “When a high school teacher is asked a question in class about Jesus, her reasoned response lands her in deep trouble and could expel God from the public square once and for all.”
Box Office Prospects: $70 M
Expectations: Good. There’s a market for righteously indignant religion-themed movies where any semblance to reality is found only in the minds of those who see the world in black-and-white. It will be a hit because its predecessor was.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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Everybody Wants Some (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “A group of college baseball players navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood.”
Box Office Prospects: $10 M
Expectations: Decent. A Dazed and Confused for ’80s fans, this Richard Linklater production isn’t likely to appeal beyond those familiar with his work and those who recognize the similarities to Dazed.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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The Man Who Knew Infinity (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “Growing up poor in Madras, India, Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar earns admittance to Cambridge University during WWI, where he becomes a pioneer in mathematical theories with the guidance of his professor, G.H. Hardy.”
Box Office Prospects: $10 M
Expectations: Weak. There’s not a huge market for this type of historical drama about mathematics, so I expect that I may be overselling its chances based on pedigree alone.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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Meet the Blacks (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “A family move to Beverly Hills to relax. Only till they find out the purge is about to happen.”
Box Office Prospects: $12 M
Expectations: Weak. Long gone are the days of Scary Movie‘s dominance of the horror spoof movement, so don’t expect too much from this limited release film.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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Miles Ahead (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “An exploration of the life and music of Miles Davis.”
Box Office Prospects: $30 M
Expectations: Unexceptional. Other than Straight Outta Compton, you have to go back 11 years to find a music biopic that did well theatrically. Miles Davis doesn’t have the level of familiarity that NWA or Johnny Cash did and even biopics based on the Beach Boys and James Brown have failed to ignite interest in their subjects.
Oscar Prospects: Weak. Some might say that Don Cheadle has a shot at a nomination, but April may just be a smidge too early for a film likely not to do well at the box office to carry to the end of the year.
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April 8, 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: $20 M
Expectations: Poor. I’d be surprised if this is a hit. The film’s been pushed back too many times to have much faith in its chances.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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The Boss

Premise: From IMDb: “A titan of industry is sent to prison after she’s caught “for insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America’s latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget.
Box Office Prospects: $85 M
Expectations: Good. The film may not have the potential of Spy or any of her other paired comedies, but this one should still do nicely, ending just above her Tammy.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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Hardcore Henry

Premise: From IMDb: “A first-person action film from the eyes of Henry, who’s resurrected from death with no memory. He must discover his identity and save his wife from a warlord with a plan to bio-engineer soldiers.”
Box Office Prospects: $30 M
Expectations: Poor. Apart from curiosity seekers, this film looks like it will be dead on arrival and do similar business to the likes of Parker, The Mechanic and every other weak Jason Statham action thriller.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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Demolition (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “A successful investment banker struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash.”
Box Office Prospects: $40 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Jake Gyllenhaal doesn’t sell tickets and this film doesn’t seem to be anything beyond your prototypical Gyllenhaal indie feature, so I wouldn’t expect much from it.
Oscar Prospects: After a near-miss Oscar nomination for Nightcrawler and a lot of lauded work just prior and after, I suspect Gyllenhaal will earn his second Oscar nomination soon and if not for this, for something else. The rest of the film isn’t likely to score nominations, though.
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Louder Than Bombs (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “The fractious family of a father and his two sons confront their different feelings and memories of their deceased wife and mother, a famed war photographer.”
Box Office Prospects: $3 M
Expectations: Poor. Jesse Eisenberg either stars in films that are destined at inception to be box office draws or stars in films so far off the beaten track that only the most loyal fans and cineastes will find him. This appears to be the same sort of situation.
Oscar Prospects: Poor. This is the kind of movie that, back in the 1980s might have scored a handful of nominations. Think Ordinary People. However, the concepts have become so well worn that Oscar just doesn’t notice anymore.
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April 15, 2016

Barbershop: The Next Cut

Premise: From IMDb: “It’s been more than 10 years since our last appointment at Calvin’s Barbershop. Calvin and his longtime crew are still there, but the shop has undergone some major changes. Most noticeably, our once male-dominated sanctuary is now co-ed. The ladies bring their own flavor, drama and gossip to the shop challenging the fellas at every turn. Despite the good times and camaraderie within the shop, the surrounding community has taken a turn for the worse, forcing Calvin and our crew to come together to not only save the shop, but their neighborhood.”
Box Office Prospects: $80 M
Expectations: Good. The first film was a hit, but its sequel dropped off a bit, which may explain why it’s been 12 years since the series saw a new entry. With the climate the way that it is and the topicality of the film’s message, I suspect this might do better than my estimate by quite a bit.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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Criminal

Premise: From IMDb: “The memories & skills of a deceased CIA agent are implanted into an unpredictable and dangerous convict.”
Box Office Prospects: $40 M
Expectations: Weak. Kevin Costner’s box office successes have been limited to pre-sold features. Other than his supporting roll in Man of Steel, the last movie he made that topped $60 million was Waterworld 21 years ago. Most of his films have been under $50 and while the presence of some other major talents might bolster the film’s chances, I suspect it won’t be a high water mark for his career.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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The Jungle Book

Premise: From IMDb: “An orphan boy is raised in the jungle with the help of a pack of wolves, a bear, and a black panther.”
Box Office Prospects: $200 M
Expectations: Excellent. There’s no reason to believe that Disney’s heavy marketing of this film won’t net it some serious bank after the exceptional performances of several live-action films based on their animated portfolio.
Oscar Prospects: It might secure some below-the-line Oscar nominations, but not very many and it is unlikely to win any of them.
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Colonia (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “A young woman’s desperate search for her abducted boyfriend that draws her into the infamous Colonia Dignidad, a sect nobody ever escaped from.”
Box Office Prospects: $500 K
Expectations: Weak. There’s little indication that this based-on-real-life period drama will do very well at all.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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Green Room (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “After witnessing a murder, a punk rock band is forced into a vicious fight for survival against a group of maniacal skinheads.”
Box Office Prospects: $1 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Were it releasing wide, I might give it a shot to tap into the horror audience, but a limited release will likely doom the film’s chances.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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Rio, I Love You (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “A series of short films set in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.”
Box Office Prospects: $5 M
Expectations: Uncertain. The first film in the “I Love You” series, Paris, je t’aime, made just under $5 million back in 2007. New York, I Love You made just over $1.5 million two years later. I don’t know that the series has enough built-in support six years after its last release to merit such a high prediction on my end, but ticket prices have inflated, so it’s possible.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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Sing Street (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “A boy growing up in Dublin during the 1980s escapes his strained family life by starting a band and moving to London.”
Box Office Prospects: $15 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Only two of John Carney’s films have been released to the box office. Once was the first and it made just south of $10 million. His next, Begin Again, came in with just over $16 million. The latter had a notable name in the lead, the former was a surprise hit. Good reviews will help Sing Street, but not nearly as much as one would hope.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. The film has some early buzz, but nothing that has made it seem like much of an Oscar threat.
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April 22, 2016

Elvis & Nixon

Premise: From IMDb: “The untold true story behind the meeting between the King of Rock ‘n Roll and President Nixon, resulting in this revealing, yet humorous moment immortalized in the most requested photograph in the National Archives.”
Box Office Prospects: $10 M
Expectations: Weak. I think this might get some people who are curious about the movie into the theater, but it’s not likely that it will do much business beyond that.
Oscar Prospects: Poor. A case could be made for either Kevin Spacey or Michael Shannon for a nomination, but Shannon has better opportunities this year and no one is in a rush to nominate Spacey for anything.
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The Huntsman: Winter’s War

Premise: From IMDb: “As two evil sisters prepare to conquer the land; two renegades – Eric the Huntsman – who previously aided Snow White in defeating Ravenna, and his forbidden lover, Sara set out to stop them.”
Box Office Prospects: $175 M
Expectations: Good. The first film did exceptional box office, but it was felt that the Chris Hemsworth character had a better chance of propelling a sequel to success. We’ll see how that works out for them.
Oscar Prospects: Decent. The first film managed two Oscar nominations, Best Costume Design and Best Visual Effects. Both categories could be in play again this year, but nothing will win.
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April 29, 2016

Keanu

Premise: From IMDb: “Friends hatch a plot to retrieve a stolen kitten by posing as drug dealers for a street gang.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Fans of Key and Peele are sure to have an interest in the film, but I doubt the lackluster reviews will help the film mount a strong box office run.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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Mother’s Day

Premise: From IMDb: “Intersecting stories with different moms collide on Mother’s Day.”
Box Office Prospects: $60 M
Expectations: Decent. Garry Marshall’s holiday series has had an uneven history. Valentine’s Day had an impressive run of $110 million. New Year’s Eve on the other hand had a rather anemic $55 million finish. I suspect this film will fall somewhere in between likely leaning towards the lower number, but might have done better with a Mother’s Day weekend release to avoid the inevitable poor reviews from depressing attendance.
Oscar Prospects: None.
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Ratchet & Clank

Premise: From IMDb: “Ratchet and Clank tells the story of two unlikely heroes as they struggle to stop a vile alien named Chairman Drek from destroying every planet in the Solana Galaxy. When the two stumble upon a dangerous weapon capable of destroying entire planets, they must join forces with a team of colorful heroes called The Galactic Rangers in order to save the galaxy. Along the way they’ll learn about heroism, friendship, and the importance of discovering one’s own identity.”
Box Office Prospects: $50 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Focus Features has a terrible track record with animated features and unless you’re Blue Sky, Disney, Pixar or DreamWorks, your chances aren’t great.
Oscar Prospects: Weak. While it may be submitted and sit on the shortlist for Best Animated Feature, a nomination seems improbable.
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Same Kind of Different As Me

Premise: From IMDb: “A modern-day slave, an international art dealer, and the unlikely woman who bound them together.”
Box Office Prospects: $30 M
Expectations: Weak. No early advertising. No buzz. It just doesn’t seem like anyone’s interested in this.
Oscar Prospects: None.

A Beautiful Planet (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “An exploration of Earth and beyond as seen from outer space.”
Box Office Prospects: $16 M
Expectations: Weak. Apart from the initial film in the DisneyNature series, Earth in 2009, and the blip of Chimpanzee in 2012, the series hasn’t done gangbusters at the box office.
Oscar Prospects: None.

Viva (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “When everything is for sale, what’s the value of love? Jesus does make up for a troupe of drag performers in Havana, but dreams of being a performer. When he finally gets his chance to be on stage, a stranger emerges from the crowd and punches him in the face. The stranger is his father Angel, a former boxer, who has been absent from his life for 15 years. As father and son clash over their opposing expectations of each other, Viva becomes a love story as the men struggle to understand one another and become a family again.”
Box Office Prospects: $2 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Most Oscar nominees for Best Foreign Language Film don’t parlay that success into actual box office numbers. While this might pull in some LGBT folk, it still won’t likely do a lot of business.
Oscar Prospects: Done. With its Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nomination last year, it is removed from further eligibility at the Oscars. It lost to Son of Saul.
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