The Hot Button by David Poland

Monday, 8 February 1999

WEEKEND REVIEW

Not much excitement in the numbers this weekend. Despite setting the high watermark for new releases this year, Payback's $21.4 million estimated weekend has to be a bit of a disappointment to Paramount. After all, if She's All That could do $16 million without a star, why is Mel only doing $21 million? She's All That fell just an estimated 25 percent according to Miramax to $12 million and second place. It seems that Buffy the Vampire Slayer didn't make a dent in the teen Pygmalion's numbers (even if it turns out that Miramax was significantly over-optimistic). Simply Irresistible only managed $2.4 million and a ninth place finish. In fact, the primary impact that Fox's late entry into the teen race had was to dump Fox's The Thin Red Line out of the top 10 (into 11th place with $2 million). Saving Private Ryan hit the beaches running and added another $3.6 million to its coffers as it heads toward Oscar® glory and Armageddon's title as the biggest domestic grosser of 1998 ($194.6 million and counting).
The other six Top 10 finishers were of little note. Patch Adams was in third with $4.5 million ($122.5 total). Varsity Blues grabbed another $4 million to get to fourth place and a remarkable $44.4 million. Shakespeare in Love, in fifth, took $3.6 million to hit $36.3 million. John Travolta kept A Civil Action $3.2 million into the money despite a generally disappointing reaction to the film, taking seventh place and passing the $50 million mark. Stepmom's $2.6 million weekend was enough for eighth place. And you're still going to You've Got Mail, as it posted another $2.3 million.
THE GOOD, THE BAD: The weekend was good to Rushmore, which finally broke free into a whopping 103 theaters the weekend before Oscar® nominations hit and averaged almost $18,000 (an estimated $17,961) per screen for a $1.9 million total. It seems likely that Bill Murray will get a Best Supporting Actor nomination tomorrow morning, which was pretty much the plan that Disney came up with for the film. Despite smash reviews coming out of the New York Film Festival last September, Disney sat on the film all fall before releasing it only for a week for Academy and Tarnished Globe nominations. Almost every major critics group in the country either gave an award or highly considered Murray for their awards. With that and a lack of awards heat for the supporting soldiers of Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line, the "sell the movie based on Bill Murray even though it's not really a Bill Murray movie" trick seems to have worked.
So, what's bad? Well, after seeing the movie for a third time myself this weekend, I have less doubt than ever that Rushmore would have been a legit contender for a wide-ranging group of Oscar® nods. (There is a chance of a second nomination for Original Screenplay, but that seems like about it right now.) Just as Miramax used slowly building non-Academy momentum to power their Shakespeare in Love to what looks like a passel of nominations, Disney could have had a major cult hit with Rushmore by the time December rolled along. With $40 to $50 million in the bank, Rushmore gets a Best Picture nod in my estimation. People are wondering aloud whether Jason Schwartzman can break into the Best Actor category. A screenplay nod is a sure bet. And Wes Anderson looks like he'll beat out Peter Weir for a directing nomination. Particularly in this soft Oscar® field. Back in the land of reality, as of late last week, Disney was still not committed to a wide expansion for the film. That was, until they saw this weekend's numbers. Now they have told the trades and wires that they'll go wide this week (which probably means 700 to 800 screens). I'm happy for that, but I still feel that Rushmore is the missed opportunity movie of 1998. (Don't get me started on the Universal slate.)
THE UGLY: It would be far too easy to remove the "ir" from the title of Simply Irresistible, but it would also be far too appropriate. This film is the first great candidate for my 10 Worst Films of 1999 list. (It makes one crave the simple professionalism of Varsity Blues and Virus.) This doesn't mean that I hate Sarah Jessica Michelle Buffy Gellar. I don't. I maintain the highest hopes and the deepest fears for Cruel Intentions, but I don't think I've ever seen a feature film that looked more like a TV movie than this one did. The lighting was flat and uninteresting. The sets all looked like sets, except for the Henri Bendel department store, which played itself. The remarkable turn by Sean Patrick Flanery constantly reminded me that there is only one man who could bring Keith Partridge back to life (in designer suits, of course). The story, which revolves around (I can't believe I am even writing this) a magic crab, is like a weak episode of "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch." And worse, you can see the black line they use to manipulate the crab. The one good thing about this film is that it will go away fast.
THE CHAT: I'm taking a deep breath and another week off before chatting with one of the great actors of our time and the likely Oscar® nominee for Gods and Monsters, Sir Ian McKellen, next Wednesday night. That would be 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT/3:00 a.m. UKT. In the meantime, for the full lowdown on Sir Ian, check out McKellen.com, which is maintained by Keith Stern.
JUST WONDERING: Why do people seem to think that I'm now an active wrestler in the WCW? They seem to think I'll be fighting Bam Bam Bigelow in the Super Brawl. Which makes me wonder, who is Bam Bam Bigelow and what is a Super Brawl? (And does anyone know where I can get tights in my size?)
HAPPY TRAILERS TO YOU: Finally saw the 20 Dates trailer. Cute. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie, which seems to be a comic documentary, but I can't quite tell. I'm also still wondering how they managed to make a trailer for The Other Sister without ever explaining what the hell the title means! If we can extrapolate that the challenged character played by Juliette Lewis is the "other" sister, who is the sister that she is other from. There seems to be a wedding, but no sister having it in the trailer, only Diane Keaton and Tom Skerritt. And I gotta tell you, people may be naturally compelled to see Ben Affleck couple with Sandra Bullock, but boy, oh, boy does Forces of Nature look like a movie we've seen 7,000 times. "Let's do Planes, Trains and Automobiles, but when Sandra wakes up with her hand in Ben's butt crack, it becomes a love story!"
BAD AD WATCH: You know, I'm kind of sick of picking on Ron Brewington. Even I tire of beating the same dead horse for months on end. But dear God, who art in heaven (or for those who don't choose to use God in your exclamations, "Holy moly!"), this guy is unstoppable. His tag for Disney's My Favorite Martian? "Outta this world!" Oy! Why do I get the feeling that the Wall Street Journal won't be doing a front page story on how this quote got pulled?
QUOTE WHORING USA: For My Favorite Martian: "Best feature film version of a TV show that shouldn't have been made into a feature film this week!" "Christopher Lloyd is his weirdest ever! That is, since his last movie!" "Outta this world!"
READER OF THE DAY: From Capt. Wazoo: "I realize that 'it' is over for this year, the out-of-control fire hose has finally quit knocking heavy objects over, and there are just wide, deep puddles to mop up with an emotional rag that is too small; and that has just been used too hard, too recently. David, get a grip. If you feel the need to write, do it! (At whatever level is comfortable, a children's book or Costner's next killer.) If you feel the need to act, do it! (At whatever level is comfortable, a community theater, or sucking up to Spielberg.) Etc., ad infinitum. Damn! Ten days in Park City and not one word about the backcountry snowmobiling and snowboarding! Tsk, tsk! Hot-tubs, babes? How many of those microbrews could you get into your pack without breaking one on the lift? What the hell did you do for 10 days? I know, I know... I read them. Too bad you can't see all the movies by video during the two weeks prior to the festival. That would leave you free to schmooze 24-7, well, except for eating, sleeping and snowboarding. But, hey, those would just be more opportunities to schmooze! 'Schmooze River, flo-wing o-ver me, dah, dah... dah!' Speaking of snowboarding, since this film festival thing happens right in the heart of ski season, do you think I should make 'Godzilla vs. the Snowboaders,' and throw it in the Sundance Film roast? We'll get Kraft Marshmallows to sponsor! Dave! Relax, Dave, it's all just for fun! Remember, it's all just for fun! It's not like our livelihood depended on it! Sheesh! Go rent a snowboard video and chill! (Black Box is my pick of the year!)"

E ME: I'm pretty sure that today's ROTD is Bob Redford. I mean, that's how he does it, right? Cracked me up. Always happy to have a new wild man writing in to The Hot Button. And what the heck is Black Box? (PG-13 answers only please.) Anyway, I'm here to solicit your Oscar® picks, but there is no way I can get through lots of long lists. How about this? Send in your picks for Best Picture and a list of the five movies that you expect to lead the nominations. And give me the number. If someone gets pretty close, I'll look in my goody bag and send you something. Something good.

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