So I read this article that my buddy deutsch sent over to me the other day regarding an opinion piece on movie ticket pricing. I've got to say there's been a lot a buzz (it basically comes up with every big movie opening) about tiering the price structure for films based on their popularity and I agree with it. Before the whole 3 people that read this blog get all up in arms, this is pretty much a win-win situation for all involved.
First off, theaters have been bleeding money since the mid 90s and need to start differentiating themselves somehow and doing something different. Theaters have become sort of stale, not exciting and very similar to one another. To make my point, let's take a look at the industry. We have two major players in this market vying for the consumers hard earned dollars, AMC and Regal entertainment group. The way these two companies are trying to gain market share is through consistently building up the quality of their theaters...the problem, do any of you see an in-theater difference between these two companies? Another question are any of you loyal to a specific theater just because its an AMC or Regal theater? If you answered yes to either of those questions, chances are you need a better day job...Anyway, the point is let's shake up the theater industry a bit, huh!
Price tiering may hurt us when we want to see popular movies, but let's consider some other facts to this situation:
1. Price tiering allows theaters to charge less for less popular movies
Think about it...you may have to pay $15 to see Harry Potter (#1 film of last year), but think about going to see a movie like Cedar Rapids, Drive, Fright Night, or The King's Speech (Hey it won an oscar!) for $5. Many great movies aren't commercially successful until they hit DVD, so this won't affect you unless you're going to see huge franchises.
2. How much did that popcorn cost?!
Yes this is where the theaters get us, concessions...charging more for commercially successful films could open up the door to drastic price reductions in the ridiculous over-priced concessions at the theater. $11 for a bag of popcorn and a soda! You can get a full meal with that (including a beer) at the Twin's game.
3. The Twilight factor
Here comes the grand slam...it's going to be LEGEN....(WAIT FOR IT) DERY! If you want to go see a movie besides Twilight the weekend of its release comes, you're basically going to see that shit for free! Boom...at least we can thank screaming 12 teens and 42 year old cat ladies for something. Any big movie that has a huge opening would theoretically change the price structure of any other big film coming out this weekend. If you're wondering how that works...it's a little thing called supply and demand...
Anyway, I could ramble on for an hour about this issue, but I'll open it up to you guys. What do you think? Should theaters start tiering their prices for more popular movies?
Friday, January 6, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Rent this Not That
In time for the weekend, here is my first Rent this Not that, which will now be a Thursday staple.
So new on DVD this week are two intriguing films both of which I haven't quite seen yet, but both of which look pretty good.
Rent this:
Contagion
This movie has an all star cast that includes Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne, and Jude Law (unfortunately) and the storyline follows a husband (Matt Damon) who loses his wife (Gwyneth Paltrow) to a mysterious disease that threatens to end human life as we know it. I'm sure the movie will force us to reflect on our society and how fragile our very existence is and what's scary is the very fact that the world health organization has publicly stated that the human populous is over due for an epidemic. I've heard great things about this movie and is critically acclaimed, coming in at an 84% on RottenTomatoes. For more information on the movie check it out the trailer below:
Contagion
Probably Not this (unless your me or my friend Deutsch):
Shark Night 3D
Actually...you might want to rent this on one condition....that you have at least 12 beers in your fridge to enjoy the ridiculousness that is about to ensue. Now if you're thinking to yourself, "MinneyFilmster are you telling me that this movie is about Sharks attacking people in 3D?", you would be absolutely correct! This movie's got it all...teen drinking, partying, hot girls, boobs, and of course digitally enhanced sharks that rip people limb from limb. Anyway unless you plan on drinking quite a bit during this movie, you'll probably enjoy Contagion much more than this one, but if you're adventurous check out the trailer below:
Shark Night 3D
So new on DVD this week are two intriguing films both of which I haven't quite seen yet, but both of which look pretty good.
Rent this:
Contagion
This movie has an all star cast that includes Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne, and Jude Law (unfortunately) and the storyline follows a husband (Matt Damon) who loses his wife (Gwyneth Paltrow) to a mysterious disease that threatens to end human life as we know it. I'm sure the movie will force us to reflect on our society and how fragile our very existence is and what's scary is the very fact that the world health organization has publicly stated that the human populous is over due for an epidemic. I've heard great things about this movie and is critically acclaimed, coming in at an 84% on RottenTomatoes. For more information on the movie check it out the trailer below:
Contagion
Probably Not this (unless your me or my friend Deutsch):
Shark Night 3D
Actually...you might want to rent this on one condition....that you have at least 12 beers in your fridge to enjoy the ridiculousness that is about to ensue. Now if you're thinking to yourself, "MinneyFilmster are you telling me that this movie is about Sharks attacking people in 3D?", you would be absolutely correct! This movie's got it all...teen drinking, partying, hot girls, boobs, and of course digitally enhanced sharks that rip people limb from limb. Anyway unless you plan on drinking quite a bit during this movie, you'll probably enjoy Contagion much more than this one, but if you're adventurous check out the trailer below:
Shark Night 3D
Monday, January 2, 2012
New Segments Coming Soon!
So I'm starting a few new segments this month, the first of which is rent this not that. Check back later this week for some of my new segments, which will included the following:
Rent this, not that
I will post a few comments regarding newly released on DVD movies and recommend what to rent this week.
Retro Reels
I'll be doing brief reviews of some older films and I haven't decided what I'll start with...I'll be starting a poll on FB/Twitter to see what the users want first!
TheMinneyFilmster's Top 10 of 2011
Check back later this week to check out my top 10 films of 2011
TheMinneyFilmster's Top 12 of 2012
I'll be posting some previews of upcoming films and what everyone can look forward for 2012...obviously you should all know what number 1 will be on this list...
TheMinneyFilmster's Movie Drinking Game of the Month
With the esteemed Mr. Bergman moving in with me for a couple of weeks, its time for me to post the first movie drinking game to my site. This will be a monthly segment, starting this month with one of four options:
The Ninja Turtles Trilogy
Wet Hot American Summer
Robin Hood (The Kevin Costner version)
The Mighty Ducks Trilogy (Since I live in Minnesota, this one will cap off with a trip to the St. Paul dinner featured in the movie!)
Rent this, not that
I will post a few comments regarding newly released on DVD movies and recommend what to rent this week.
Retro Reels
I'll be doing brief reviews of some older films and I haven't decided what I'll start with...I'll be starting a poll on FB/Twitter to see what the users want first!
TheMinneyFilmster's Top 10 of 2011
Check back later this week to check out my top 10 films of 2011
TheMinneyFilmster's Top 12 of 2012
I'll be posting some previews of upcoming films and what everyone can look forward for 2012...obviously you should all know what number 1 will be on this list...
TheMinneyFilmster's Movie Drinking Game of the Month
With the esteemed Mr. Bergman moving in with me for a couple of weeks, its time for me to post the first movie drinking game to my site. This will be a monthly segment, starting this month with one of four options:
The Ninja Turtles Trilogy
Wet Hot American Summer
Robin Hood (The Kevin Costner version)
The Mighty Ducks Trilogy (Since I live in Minnesota, this one will cap off with a trip to the St. Paul dinner featured in the movie!)
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Runtime: 2 hr 8 min
Rating: PG-13
Sherlock Holmes 2 Trailer
I know a lot of people absolutely love these movies and to be honest I never saw the first one in theaters, mainly because a lot of critics didn't give it very good reviews. When I finally saw it, I felt like the first one was mediocre at best...I mean don't get me wrong, Robert Downey Jr. is simply fantastic in the role of Sherlock Holmes, but I found the storyline and special effects to be very mediocre. However, I put all my misgivings about the first movie behind me and went into the sequel with an open mind.
The Story:
The follow-up to the first movie pits Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes) against his arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty, played by Jared Harris. Sherlock joined by his sidekick Watson, played by Jude Law, travel around the world eventually meeting up with a band of revolutionary gypsies that will ultimately help them end the Moriarty's nefarious plot to start the first world war. To be honest there isn't much of a deep storyline here...there's a lot of action followed by Sherlock picking up on clues left behind by Moriarty, but it's still kind of a fun ride.
The Film:
To be honest as the film progressed, I was starting to get disappointed as I felt that this movie was pretty much going to be the same as the first one, with Sherlock Holmes quickly figuring things out as the movie progressed and then just explaining the entire plot of the movie at the very end. My main gripe with the first one is that I felt that Sherlock was never really challenged throughout the movie...he was pretty much ahead of the game and then he revealed how he was a step ahead at the very end of the movie, leaving nothing for the viewer to figure out or piece together. What's different in this film, is the fact that Moriarty actually challenges Sherlock and forces him to make mistakes. These mistakes actually are very costly to the Sherlock posse, innocent bystanders, and powerful politicians; ultimately leading to death and serious injury (even to the main characters themselves). The other aspect of the first movie that I liked was also present in the sequel, where Sherlock would dismantle his opponents in his mind prior to actually taking them down. This did leave to a pretty cool and somewhat shocking ending to the movie, but I felt like this was a bit overused. I think Guy Ritchie could have done this a bit more sparingly, saving these mental take-downs for more challenging opponents. I will say that there is a lot more action in this film, epitomized by a scene in which multiple enemies are firing artillery shells at our protagonists as they flee towards a speeding train.
The Dialogue:
As usual in any Guy Ritchie film, the dialogue is fantastic. It's reminiscent of a lot of his earlier films like Snatch or Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (if you haven't seen these, you should rent them!). My favorite scenes involved either of the three main characters (Sherlock, Moriarty, and Watson) bantering back and forth in very witty, intelligent and humorous conversation. I'm kind of a sucker for really good dialogue, which is why I enjoy Quentin Tarantino films..."You know what the call a quarter pounder with cheese in Paris? A royale with cheese..." Anyway, this movie has some pretty god damn good dialogue, so I do recommend it from that perspective.
The Acting:
I hate Jude Law...I'm not going to beat around the bush about this one. I really haven't really enjoyed any of the movies that he's been in save Gattaca. It might be because he used to do a crap ton of rom coms or because of the fact that he cheated on Sienna Miller with a nanny...seriously dude, come on?! I will, however, admit that he wasn't bad in this movie, particularly the scene where he gets drunk before his wedding. Also, what can I say about Robert Downey Jr., other than the fact that I'm starting to believe that he's a mix between Tony Stark (Iron Man) and Sherlock Holmes in real life: making him one of the coolest people ever. Downey steals the show and plays the quirky Holmes to a T as well as delivers his dialogue with the utmost perfection. The one thing that bothered me a bit about the film is Moriarty. Overall I felt that Jared Harris did a good job, but I felt that there were other actors probably better suited to play this role. I actually thought that someone like Edward Norton would have done a fantastic job as Moriarty. I mean Moriarty is supposed to be able to challenge Holmes in every aspect of his game, which means both physically and mentally. I didn't find Harris' Moriarty that intimidating, especially towards the end when Sherlock starts to gain a clear upper hand.
Overall Rating:
Overall, I have to say that this movie is definitely an improvement to the first installment, but still could use some work especially considering the directing and acting recipe that is in these movies.
2.5/5
Rating: PG-13
Sherlock Holmes 2 Trailer
I know a lot of people absolutely love these movies and to be honest I never saw the first one in theaters, mainly because a lot of critics didn't give it very good reviews. When I finally saw it, I felt like the first one was mediocre at best...I mean don't get me wrong, Robert Downey Jr. is simply fantastic in the role of Sherlock Holmes, but I found the storyline and special effects to be very mediocre. However, I put all my misgivings about the first movie behind me and went into the sequel with an open mind.
The Story:
The follow-up to the first movie pits Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes) against his arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty, played by Jared Harris. Sherlock joined by his sidekick Watson, played by Jude Law, travel around the world eventually meeting up with a band of revolutionary gypsies that will ultimately help them end the Moriarty's nefarious plot to start the first world war. To be honest there isn't much of a deep storyline here...there's a lot of action followed by Sherlock picking up on clues left behind by Moriarty, but it's still kind of a fun ride.
The Film:
To be honest as the film progressed, I was starting to get disappointed as I felt that this movie was pretty much going to be the same as the first one, with Sherlock Holmes quickly figuring things out as the movie progressed and then just explaining the entire plot of the movie at the very end. My main gripe with the first one is that I felt that Sherlock was never really challenged throughout the movie...he was pretty much ahead of the game and then he revealed how he was a step ahead at the very end of the movie, leaving nothing for the viewer to figure out or piece together. What's different in this film, is the fact that Moriarty actually challenges Sherlock and forces him to make mistakes. These mistakes actually are very costly to the Sherlock posse, innocent bystanders, and powerful politicians; ultimately leading to death and serious injury (even to the main characters themselves). The other aspect of the first movie that I liked was also present in the sequel, where Sherlock would dismantle his opponents in his mind prior to actually taking them down. This did leave to a pretty cool and somewhat shocking ending to the movie, but I felt like this was a bit overused. I think Guy Ritchie could have done this a bit more sparingly, saving these mental take-downs for more challenging opponents. I will say that there is a lot more action in this film, epitomized by a scene in which multiple enemies are firing artillery shells at our protagonists as they flee towards a speeding train.
The Dialogue:
As usual in any Guy Ritchie film, the dialogue is fantastic. It's reminiscent of a lot of his earlier films like Snatch or Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (if you haven't seen these, you should rent them!). My favorite scenes involved either of the three main characters (Sherlock, Moriarty, and Watson) bantering back and forth in very witty, intelligent and humorous conversation. I'm kind of a sucker for really good dialogue, which is why I enjoy Quentin Tarantino films..."You know what the call a quarter pounder with cheese in Paris? A royale with cheese..." Anyway, this movie has some pretty god damn good dialogue, so I do recommend it from that perspective.
The Acting:
I hate Jude Law...I'm not going to beat around the bush about this one. I really haven't really enjoyed any of the movies that he's been in save Gattaca. It might be because he used to do a crap ton of rom coms or because of the fact that he cheated on Sienna Miller with a nanny...seriously dude, come on?! I will, however, admit that he wasn't bad in this movie, particularly the scene where he gets drunk before his wedding. Also, what can I say about Robert Downey Jr., other than the fact that I'm starting to believe that he's a mix between Tony Stark (Iron Man) and Sherlock Holmes in real life: making him one of the coolest people ever. Downey steals the show and plays the quirky Holmes to a T as well as delivers his dialogue with the utmost perfection. The one thing that bothered me a bit about the film is Moriarty. Overall I felt that Jared Harris did a good job, but I felt that there were other actors probably better suited to play this role. I actually thought that someone like Edward Norton would have done a fantastic job as Moriarty. I mean Moriarty is supposed to be able to challenge Holmes in every aspect of his game, which means both physically and mentally. I didn't find Harris' Moriarty that intimidating, especially towards the end when Sherlock starts to gain a clear upper hand.
Overall Rating:
Overall, I have to say that this movie is definitely an improvement to the first installment, but still could use some work especially considering the directing and acting recipe that is in these movies.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)