'Wild Hogs' first at the box office - Various

[ALIASd]

'Wild Hogs' in first place at Friday boxoffice

By Gregg Kilday
The Hollywood Reporter
March 4, 2007

"Wild Hogs," Buena Vista's comedy of middle-age, burned some rubber at the boxoffice Friday. According to the boxoffice tracking site boxofficemojo.com, the movie, directed by Walt Becker and starring Tim Allen and John Travolta, took in an estimated $10.65 million on its opening day.

It was far ahead of Paramount Pictures' "Zodiac," David Fincher's detailed account of the search for San Franciso's Zodiac serial killer, which pulled in an estimated $4.17 million. Still, that was enough to earn "Zodiac" the number two spot in the day's boxoffice listings.

Paramount Vantage's Southern Gothic "Black Snake Moan" debuted in eighth position. Playing in 1,252 theaters, the film, directed by Craig Brewer and starring Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci, collected an estimated $1.35 million.

Rounding out the top five were Sony's "Ghost Rider," coming in third with an estimated $2.965 million; New Line Cinema's "The Number 23," in fourth, with an estimated $2.025 million; and Buena Vista's "The Bridge to Terabithia," in fifth place, with an estimated $2 million.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...5513e3ad2a0620

[PanTheMan]

Zodiac is AWESOME..... Wild Hogs was kind of Dumb...

[dramaqueen]

I knew it would- its getting horrible reviews, but great audience responses. Go figure. Sometime people just want to laugh at people getting hit in the head.

[Disneyland Daddy]

Originally Posted by dramaqueen

I knew it would- its getting horrible reviews, but great audience responses. Go figure. Sometime people just want to laugh at people getting hit in the head.

Oprah Winfrey loved it - she had the stars on her show on Friday in fact...

[ALIASd]

High on the 'Hogs'

Motorcycle movie revs into top spot

'Wild Hogs' takes the weekend's top spot.

By Ian Mohr
Variety
March 4, 2007

NEW YORK – Disney's "Wild Hogs," the midlife crisis motorcycle movie, aced the No. 1 spot at the B.O. handily over the weekend, taking in $38 million off 3,287.

Pic stars William H. Macy, Martin Lawrence, Tim Allen and John Travolta, and was Travolta's biggest opening ever after "Be Cool"'s $23.5 million bow.
One motorcyle pic replaced another, "Ghost Rider," which dropped 43% to No. 3.

Paramount's "Zodiac," meantime, bowed at a distant No. 2 with $13.1 million. Pic played to a per screen average of $5,546 off 2,362.

Frame's other new wide opener, Paramount Vantage's "Black Snake Moan," debuted at No. 8.

Pic, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci, took in just over $4 million off 1,252. Pic scored a per location average of $3,208.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=13&cs=1

[cellarhound]

Originally Posted by dramaqueen

I knew it would- its getting horrible reviews, but great audience responses. Go figure. Sometime people just want to laugh at people getting hit in the head.

It is obvious it would get horrable reviews... I don't think people are expecting to see a good movie - and it doesn't pretend to be anything better than it is...

They want to see these guys in leather chaps for any bit of a couple reasons...

1- it should look good on Travolta's old "Grease" fans...
2- Macy has a way of looking like a wimpy-geek when he is on screen... Even when his is a tough guy for David Mamet (who works with him a LOT)... You want to seek him get roughed up by a real biker...

The rest of em, you don't really care much about...

[dramaqueen]

Originally Posted by Disneyland Daddy

Oprah Winfrey loved it - she had the stars on her show on Friday in fact...

I doubt Oprah loved it. This movie exists solely for the stars that were in in, that is why she had them on her show. The only reason anyone that famous even made it was to get to wear tight pants and ride motorcycles.

FWIW, I saw it Friday night (though I was paid to ) and didn't think it was bad for what it was, it is certainly not trying to win any Oscars, but its good mindless entertainment.

[ALIASd]

'Wild Hogs' takes easy ride to boxoffice summit

By Nicole Sperling
The hollywood Reporter
March 5, 2007

America went hog wild this weekend for Buena Vista's ensemble comedy starring John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy, proving once again that the nation's critics are not plugged in to what moviegoers are looking for. Skewered by reviewers, the PG-13 rated comedy "Wild Hogs" grossed an astounding estimate of $38 million at the North American boxoffice, grabbing the top spot by a wide margin.

The other openings this weekend -- those with much better reviews -- had more trouble luring audiences. Paramount Pictures' "Zodiac" managed a decent second place opening, grossing an estimated $13.1 million in more than 2,000 theaters. But Paramount Vantage's edgy Southern tale about sin and redemption, "Black Snake Moan," struggled with an estimated $4 million bow in more than 1,200 playdates.

Overall, though, the strength of "Hogs" put the boxoffice in an up position compared to last year at this time, when Warner Bros. Pictures bowed "16 Blocks" to $11.8 million and Sony unveiled "Ultraviolet" to $9 million. In fact, the Top 10 was up a strong 30% compared to last year.

The majority of the holdovers held up well this frame. Sony Pictures' "Ghost Rider," which had been in the top spot for the past two weeks, dropped an estimated 43% in its third session, earning an additional $11.5 million. The Nicolas Cage-actioner has now grossed $94.8 million at the boxffice, with Sony expecting it to reach the coveted $100 million mark next week.

Buena Vista's family film "Bridge to Terabithia" also continued to perform strongly. In 20 additional locations, the PG-rated movie from Walden Media grossed an estimated $8.6 million, for a 40% drop, putting its three-week cume at $57.9 million.

The big story of the weekend, though, is the remarkable debut of "Hogs." From director Walt Becker, the middle-age road trip comedy garnered an impressive $11,561 per-theater average. Playing well all across the country to all ages, the film defied critical reviews and industry expectations.

"There are many cliches in our business, 'funny is money' and 'comedy is king.' This weekend they all came true," said Chuck Viane, Buena Vista president of domestic distribution. "Everybody came to this movie. It didn't matter if you were in Florida or Seattle, it was well attended."

Viane attributes a lot of the film's success to the 820 sneaks Buena Vista held the previous Saturday night. With the vast majority of the shows sold out, Viane is convinced the public became the film's best salesmen.

"The movie delivers on the promise that you will enjoy yourself," added Viane. "You start laughing in the beginning and there is a surprise funny bit in the end credits. People walk in with a smile and walk out with a smile."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...5513e3ad2a0620

[sailerm]

It's bad news for a film when the blooper reel is getting more exposure than actual film footage

[ALIASd]

Originally Posted by Disneyland Daddy

Oprah Winfrey loved it - she had the stars on her show on Friday in fact...

Considering Travolta is one of her closest friends, and recently gave her a Bentley from his car collection, I'd take any rave film review from her with a grain (or gallon) of salt. Sort of like any enthusiastic Larry King review!

[Jessicalover]

I saw it this afternoon. I'd like to demand my money back if I could. To say it stunk whould be an understatement.

[ALIASd]

Originally Posted by Jessicalover

I saw it this afternoon. I'd like to demand my money back if I could. To say it stunk whould be an understatement.

Sometimes the title is the biggest tipoff of quality.

[ALIASd]

Audiences not in tune with critics

'Hogs' proves that box office unaffected by reviews

By Ian Mohr
Variety
March 5, 2007

The critically eviscerated "Wild Hogs" brought home the bacon for Disney over the weekend, and, somewhat surprisingly, marked John Travolta's biggest ever opening in a three-decade-old career.

But "Hogs" is just the latest pic this year to be excoriated by film critics and heralded by auds. "Norbit" and "Ghost Rider" have also been resounding hits. Well-reviewed "Zodiac," meantime, was helmer David Fincher's second-lowest opening ever, following his controversial cult film "Fight Club" in 1999.

In 2007, the divide between critics and the moviegoing habits of mainstream American auds seem further apart than ever.

According to RottenTomatoes.com, the Web site that compiles critics picks, a paltry 7% of the nation's top reviewers dug "Hogs."

The Los Angeles Times called the midlife crisis motorcycle pic "an endless cyclorama of rehashed jokes and whiny complaint," while the New York Post said it's "a comedy that ... illustrates exactly how nothing can happen on the road to nowhere."

Only 10% of top critics, meantime, praised "Norbit," and "Ghost Rider" was heralded by 30%, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

While the critics know their own tastes, they can't seem to predict what will work well with auds. And neither can the highly paid tracking services, which have mostly underestimated perfs of the top-grossing pics so far this year.

Hollywood studios certainly don't mind the trend.

In a recent Daily Variety interview about the success of "Night at the Museum," yet another smash that was dissed by critics, Fox honcho Tom Rothman derisively said that the pic was not embraced by "highfalutin snooty snoot critics."

"Critics are out of touch with their readership," crowed one Disney exec after "Hogs" hit over the weekend.

"Light, fun and entertaining -- that's the niche that has worked," said another Hollywood insider close to the "Zodiac" camp after the serial killer yarn had a harder time corralling auds. "It's escapist fare that's hitting right now."

The trend is a continuation from last year, when many of the serious fall and winter pics, such as Warner Bros.' "Blood Diamond," didn't click.

Then again, not everything that critics hate is working. Jim Carrey vehicle "The Number 23" was mostly panned, and auds seem to agree.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=13&cs=1