BJ Colangelo, a savvy film critic, Germain Lussier, an entertainment journalist, and Peter Sciretta, a film creator, dive into the thrilling chaos of summer box office results. They dissect the surprising triumph of 'Inside Out 2' and its nostalgic appeal. The trio shares humorous anecdotes about their predictions, the shocking performance of films like 'Furiosa,' and the evolving landscape of movie marketing. With insights into audience expectations and the stress of the Summer Movie Wager, their lively banter keeps the conversation both entertaining and enlightening.
The Summer Movie Wager highlights the unpredictability of box office performance, emphasizing the impact of audience preferences and nostalgia on film success.
Inside Out 2 emerged as the top-grossing film, showcasing how family-oriented content resonated with audiences amid varied box office dynamics.
The discussion around Horizon: An American Saga illustrates the consequences of high expectations and market saturation on a film's box office performance.
Deep dives
Bridgette's Paranormal Exploration
The host discusses her lifelong interest in exploring haunted locations and seeking to understand the existence of ghosts. She aims to share stories of paranormal experiences through conversations with various guests. This approach will include visits to legendary haunted sites and bringing in expert commentary from professionals in the paranormal field. The podcast serves as a platform for both personal exploration and engagement with audiences interested in the supernatural.
Summer Movie Wager Overview
The episode features discussions among hosts about their predictions for the summer box office, specifically focusing on the Summer Movie Wager contest. Each participant selects their top choices for the highest-grossing films, along with dark horse options. The segment emphasizes the unpredictability of the box office, with debates about the strengths and weaknesses of their chosen films. This year’s wager includes an analysis of how previous box office results impact the current year's predictions.
Insights on Top Films
Inside Out 2 is highlighted as the top-grossing film of the summer, achieving unprecedented box office success. The episode delves into why certain films exceeded expectations while others underperformed, including discussions around Deadpool and Wolverine, which also did exceptionally well. The dynamics of audience preferences and nostalgia are presented as critical factors influencing film performance. Participants reflect on how family-oriented films and franchise nostalgia have shaped box office trends.
Box Office Trends and Expectations
The hosts discuss significant disparities in the box office performance of various films, referring to the 'haves and have-nots' in the industry. Key insights into the marketing strategies and timing of releases show how they significantly impact audience turnout. Another observation is how certain films, despite high expectations, fell short, leading to discussions about the importance of strong opening weekends. The conversation emphasizes the unpredictability of what draws audiences to theaters versus what appears to be popular.
Kevin Costner's Horizon: A Case Study
Kevin Costner’s film, Horizon: An American Saga, is brought up as an example of a highly anticipated film that ultimately disappointed at the box office. Discussions analyze the factors leading to its underperformance, including audience expectations and storytelling choices. The hosts ponder the decision to release the film in an over-saturated market and how it compares to industry trends. The conversation highlights lessons from this situation about the current cinema landscape and what dimensions need to be addressed in future projects.
Lemonade Mouth: A Celebration of Underrated Cinema
The winning choice for the post-summer movie wager viewing is revealed to be Lemonade Mouth, celebrated for its upbeat musical content and feel-good themes. The discussion includes the cultural impact of the film and the nostalgia associated with Disney Channel original movies. The movie serves as both a sentimental favorite for many and a platform for exploring themes of youth empowerment and creativity. Viewers are encouraged to engage with the film to experience its charm and positivity.
It’s time once again for box office judgment day! Our friends BJ Colangelo, Germain Lussier, and Peter Sciretta return to the podcast along with the Filmcast crew to discuss this year’s summer box office. Who will prevail to victory? Who will feel the agony of defeat? Listen to the show to find out!
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The Summer Movie Wager is a box office game which is played each summer. You can find the history and play along at http://www.thesummermoviewager.com (thanks to Dennis for maintaining the site!) The general goal of this game is to predict the highest grossing films of the summer in terms of domestic box office, IN THE CORRECT ORDER. The closer you get to the final ranked order, the more points you get. This year, the summer movie wager began on May 2, 2024 (with the release of The Fall Guy) and lasted through September 2, 2024, Labor Day, as usual.
Each of your 13 picks (10 movies and 3 dark horses) gets a single score assigned to it by using the following rules:
If your picked movie for #1 OR #10 is correct, you score 13 points for it.
If your picked movie for 2-9 is correct, you score 10 points for it.
If your picked movie is only 1 spot away from its actual placement, you score 7 points for it.
If your picked movie is only 2 spots away from its actual placement, you score 5 points for it.
If your picked movie is placed inside the Top 10, you score 3 points for it.
If your picked movie is not placed inside the Top 10, you score 0 points for it.
For each of your picked dark horses placed inside the Top 10, you score 1 point. If two or more rules apply to a single pick, only that single rule will be applied which assigns the highest point value to that pick. For example: If your pick for #1 is correct, you don't get 16 points for it because it is #1 and because it placed inside the Top 10; instead you only get 13 points for it.
The Actual Top 10 Movies
1. Inside Out 2
2. Deadpool & Wolverine
3. Despicable Me 4
4. Twisters
5. Bad Boys: Ride or Die
6. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
7. A Quiet Place: Day One
8. It Ends with Us
9. IF
10. The Fall Guy
Germain’s Top 10
1. Inside Out 2
2. Deadpool & Wolverine
3. Despicable Me 4
4. Twisters
5. The Fall Guy
6. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
7. Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter One
8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
9. A Quiet Place: Day One
10. Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Dark horses:
The Garfield Movie
IF
Fly Me To The Moon
BJ’s Top 10
1. Inside Out 2
2. Despicable Me 4
3. Deadpool & Wolverine
4. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
5. A Quiet Place: Day 1
6. Twisters
7. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
8. The Fall Guy
9. Bad Boys: Ride or Die
10. Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Dark horses:
The Garfield Movie
Alien: Romulus
Trap
Peter’s Top 10
1. Inside Out 2
2. Deadpool & Wolverine
3. Despicable Me 4
4. Bad Boys: Ride or Die
5. The Garfield Movie
6. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
7. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
8. IF
9. Twisters
10. A Quiet Place: Day One
Dark horses:
The Fall Guy
Alien: Romulus
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Devindra’s Top 10
1. Deadpool & Wolverine
2. Inside Out 2
3. Despicable Me 4
4. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
5. The Fall Guy
6. Twisters
7. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
8. Bad Boys: Ride or Die
9. Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
10. A Quiet Place: Day One
Dark horses:
MaXXXine
Fly Me To the Moon
The Garfield Movie
Jeff’s Top 10
1. Despicable Me 4
2. Deadpool & Wolverine
3. Inside Out 2
4. The Fall Guy
5. Bad Boys: Ride or Die
6. Twisters
7. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
8. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
9. A Quiet Place: Day One
10. Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Dark horses:
The Garfield Movie
IF
Alien: Romulus
Dave’s Top 10
1. Deadpool & Wolverine
2. Despicable Me 4
3. Bad Boys: Ride or Die
4. Inside Out 2
5. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
6. A Quiet Place: Day One
7. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
8. The Fall Guy
9. IF
10. Twisters
Dark horses:
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Alien: Romulus
Trap
Support David's artistic endeavors at his Patreon and subscribe to his free newsletter Decoding Everything. Check out Jeff Cannata’s podcasts DLC and We Have Concerns. Listen to Devindra's podcast with Engadget on all things tech. You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993.
Credits:
Our theme song is by Tim McEwan from The Midnight. This episode was edited by Noah Ross who also created our weekly plugs and spoiler bumper music. Our Slashfilmcourt music comes from Simon Harris.
