[Movie] Attendance Crumbles in 2010

Box Office Mojo ^ | 1/11/2011 | Brandon Gray

[Dr. Scarpetta]

They took a few liberties with the facts on some minor matters but all in all a well done historical film. No nudity, sex is mentioned only obliquely and no violence. Language in a couple of places is raw but it is necessary to the plot. I have no idea why it got a R rating. It was, as my niece would say, a thundering good story!

I read that they fought the R-rating, but it was because of the language in that one part with the speech therapist. It's too bad because that movie would be very good for grade school kids.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

I saw it this evening too. I really liked it. Even the foul language didn’t bother me since it had a place in the plot. It wasn’t gratuitous. The audience applauded at the end as well. I hope it gets many Oscars.

Compared to some of the movies out there, it's a real gem.

[RayChuang88]

I've read many good things about The King's Speech. It's the type of movie that could garner many Oscars, mostly because it's the very type of movie extremely beloved by AMPAS members voting for the Oscars.

[mylife]

Ia m Glad you had the “real” Experience.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Me too...:)

[iceskater]

Voyage of the Dawn Treader was ok. I was very disappointed in it since it strayed from the book. The first two held pretty close to the books so I was somewhat surprised by Dawn Treader.

It was ok - just wasn’t the allegory that CS Lewis wrote.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

[dfwgator]

I definitely want to see that.

[iceskater]

I agree with you about the economy driving a lot of the trends. Couple the crap that Hollywood puts out with not as much disposable income and the results are to be expected.

I disagree with you about rude audiences. Movie theaters used to have ushers whose presence helped keep people on their best behavior. That doesn’t happen anymore. More than once, I’ve left them movie to get the manager to have them deal with the talkers/texters/phoners. And I always as for my money back in those situations. Usually the manager gives me coupons or my money back.

Texting and phoning is more disruptive. I find the light of the phones especially bothersome.

Finally, the movie industry might be doing ok but I think movie theaters are not doing as well. They make their money off concessions and fewer bodies in the seats means a disproportionate hit to the bottom line due to much less concession sales.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I hope it does. Over the last few years I have seen a lot of movies. Most were "meh", some were horrible and a very few were lovely. The King's Speech was one of the lovely ones.

[onedoug]

How fun!

It truly is a great film. (Though my wife thought it too ¨Classic Theater¨ -ish.)

Though why couldn´t God be seen as being worked in there? I sure could.

[onedoug]

Nice post. Thanks.

s&w ping. ¨The play´s the thing.....¨

[Dr. Scarpetta]

I did have to tell the idiot teenagers next to me to put their phones away. Sheesh. If something’s so important that you have to answer the phone/send a text during a movie, then maybe you shouldn’t be in the movie in the first place.

I didn't see any teenagers in the theater we went to. Kids probably don't want to go to the historic-type theaters. Too boring for them without mobs of other kids...

[Dr. Scarpetta]

You’ll be glad you did.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

You’re welcome...

[petitfour]

I got a chuckle out of watching the lady next to me as she was texting prior to the movie. She had to be more than 20 years older than I am—in her 60s. I only text my oldest son, and we only text to find out if he has baseball practice or some other reason to stay after school. And yet this senior citizen was busy texting at a movie theater. She’s more of a techie than I am.

[JSDude1]

Yeah; However, LS, when they are TRIED if they usually end up with big public approval (including ticket sales).

I think it’s partly hollywood’s perverted/atten. deficit dissorder culture that keeps these kind of movies from being made. Heck they hardly even use stuntment/live action sepecial effects anymore/ It’s a shame, in my opinion.

An Indiana Jones probably wouldn’t be made by today’s current hollywood culture either?

[Richard Kimball]

Finally, the movie industry might be doing ok but I think movie theaters are not doing as well.

Absolutely agree. They won't go away, but they'll continue to consolidate. In my town of over 100,000 there are two multiplexes and one dollar movie. That's not much for a city that size.

[SamAdams76]

Ridiculously high concession prices doesn’t help matters either - although I understand that’s where they make their money. It’s another negative to overcome. So a family of four to go to the movies and get popcorn etc. is going to shell out close to $100 for entertainment.

Never understood the whole "concession" thing at the movie theatre. Can't people go for two hours without stuffing themselves with food and drink?

I can't remember ever buying anything at the movie concession. I buy my ticket, see the movie I want to see, and then leave. No need to buy food or drink.

[LS]

Well, there is always the "star" issue: if Spielberg, Lucas, Jolie, Pitt, Depp, Eastwood, and until his meltdown, Gibson, is involved in a pic, they can almost do what they want, meaning they can do good pictures if they choose. I think most of Eastwood's stuff is great---didn't like Million Dollar Baby, but Gran Torino was an excellent message of breaking down racial walls. Unforgiven remains a classic western.

Even then, as with "Passion," there are limits. Mel found he had to go around the traditional Hollywood marketing venues to sell the picture. I'm sure our "Malta" will have to be sold the same way, through churches.