Fantasy Movie League: Sonic reigns


President’s Day Weekend saw four new wide releases, but really it was only Sonic that proved a hit at the Box Office. By contrast, this weekend offers fewer new options, and little appeal as Sonic figures to continue his Box Office reign. But more on that in a minute.

Last week I thought Sonic was the clear anchor choice, and that proved to be true. I thought it even had a shot at being the value, and it finished third in that respect. But I bet on Downhill to best its projections, which it did, but that didn’t pan out. Instead, Parasite got that Best Picture winner bump and was the Best Value. So the Perfect Cineplex paired seven screens of Parasite, rather than the seven screens of Downhill I went with.

This week there are two new wide releases, but it’s the hedgehog that figures to sit atop the Box Office again. So where’s the value? Let’s investigate. As always, if you think you’re better at the game than me, I encourage you to join me in a Fantasy Life App Blog league! You can join the league here. On to this week’s competition.

New at the Box Office:

The biggest new release is Disney’s Call of the Wild, a take on the classic book with Harrison Ford in the lead role. The film has done OK with critics, garnering a 67 percent critical score for now. It’s $344 FML Bucks, second most, and projected in second place with $14.6 million. Box Office Pro sees $13 million and Box Office Report sees $14.2 million, so that’s not encouraging in picking it for value with its inflated cost.
The only other wide release is Brahms: The Boy II, which features a creepy doll and what appears to be an even more wooden Katie Holmes. This film doesn’t have a critical score, but let’s go ahead and assume critics won’t like it. I didn’t even like the trailer, so that doesn’t seem like a stretch. It’s only $105 FML Bucks, and projected just inside the Top 5 at the Box Office with $5.5 million. Box Office Pro sees $5.6 million and Box Office Report sees $6 million. That means it could have at least steady value at its price point.

The Search for the Best Value:

Last week Sonic knocked it out of the park and bested its projections. This week, no surprise, it’s the most expensive option at $576 FML Bucks and expected to easily top the Box Office at $30.2 million. Box Office Pro sees $31 million and Box Office Report goes as high as $31.5 million. So while it is costly, it still feels like a solid anchor option. And if it bests its projections again, it could easily return one of the better values. So that hedgehog looks like it might continue to dominate the February landscape.

Birds of Prey has been underwhelming so far, but it’s $167 FML Bucks this week, and Fantasy Movie League projected just $7.9 million. Box Office Pro sees $9.6 and Box Office Report sees $8.5 million, so that could give it some appeal as a value option.

This Week’s Lineup:

Given the cost disparity, I’m going to be a glutton for punishment and take a swing on Birds of Prey again.

Birds of Prey x2
Brahms: The Boy II x6

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more