“Crazy Rich Asians,” with a $35 million five-day opening, over-performed initial box office estimates, which had pegged the picture to open to $18 million just three weeks ago.
As with other groundbreaking films featuring diverse casts, tracking projections underestimated the opening weekend — the same thing that happened with “Black Panther,” “Wonder Woman,” “Girls Trip,” “Coco,” and others over the last few years.
Estimating the opening haul for any film is an inexact science, part market research and part gut feeling. Films with black, female, Asian-American, or Latino leads — groups grossly underrepresented in Hollywood — can be even harder to predict because of the lack of comparable films, or comps, some box office trackers say. Of course, studios are also conservative in their estimates, eager to not look bad by over-shooting the potential opening number.
One thing tracking can’t take into account for films like “Black Panther” and “Crazy Rich Asians” is concerted...
As with other groundbreaking films featuring diverse casts, tracking projections underestimated the opening weekend — the same thing that happened with “Black Panther,” “Wonder Woman,” “Girls Trip,” “Coco,” and others over the last few years.
Estimating the opening haul for any film is an inexact science, part market research and part gut feeling. Films with black, female, Asian-American, or Latino leads — groups grossly underrepresented in Hollywood — can be even harder to predict because of the lack of comparable films, or comps, some box office trackers say. Of course, studios are also conservative in their estimates, eager to not look bad by over-shooting the potential opening number.
One thing tracking can’t take into account for films like “Black Panther” and “Crazy Rich Asians” is concerted...
- 8/20/2018
- by Ricardo Lopez
- Variety Film + TV
The poster for “Dog Days” amputates its human characters just above the knee, focusing our attention instead on the collection of adorable canines assembled at their feet: a pug in a pizza box, a giant labradoodle with a shoe in its mouth, a chihuahua wearing a pink vest and helmet, and so on. “Forget the people. See this movie for its four-legged characters,” the campaign might as well be saying, and yet, the dogs in “Dog Days” serve as little more than man’s best plot devices, conveniently cute critters designed to spark the interactions between their otherwise bland owners and friends in this ingratiating ensemble comedy.
Then again, what else would you expect from a movie called “Dog Days” that falls squarely into the dump month of August, those summer doldrums when outdoor temperatures rise and the quality of megaplex offerings dips? It’s as if the folks who...
Then again, what else would you expect from a movie called “Dog Days” that falls squarely into the dump month of August, those summer doldrums when outdoor temperatures rise and the quality of megaplex offerings dips? It’s as if the folks who...
- 8/7/2018
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
With a title like “Dog Days” and the promise of well-trained, furry cuties of all sizes, there’s little that would have stopped dog lovers in the moviegoing public from turning this August release into a late summer hit. But the gentle surprise is that director Ken Marino’s ensemble romantic comedy mixing adorable canines and humans who need as much rescuing as the animals they adopt, is something of a shaggy charmer itself.
The movie, written by Elissa Matsueda and Erica Oyama but juiced liberally by some of the ad-lib-honed comedians in its cast, is a glossy mutt of many movie breeds: the dog flick (obviously), the intertwined-lives anthology, the brochure-for-la spread of beautiful actors in sunny surroundings, the you-complete-me romance, and the PG family comedy that can aim the occasional sex/drugs reference to the adults because – full circle – it’s got “aww”-inspiring pets to distract the little ones.
The movie, written by Elissa Matsueda and Erica Oyama but juiced liberally by some of the ad-lib-honed comedians in its cast, is a glossy mutt of many movie breeds: the dog flick (obviously), the intertwined-lives anthology, the brochure-for-la spread of beautiful actors in sunny surroundings, the you-complete-me romance, and the PG family comedy that can aim the occasional sex/drugs reference to the adults because – full circle – it’s got “aww”-inspiring pets to distract the little ones.
- 8/7/2018
- by Robert Abele
- The Wrap
“The world is a really hard place right now to deal with every day. I wanted to dive into a movie that would make people feel good for a while,” says Ken Marino. “And I am sucker for dogs.”
Enter Dog Days. Out Aug. 10, Marino’s new film is a “Love Actually meets Marley and Me” canine rom-com stacked with an impressive animal-loving cast. Eva Longoria, Vanessa Hudgens, Finn Wolfhard, Nina Dobrev, Adam Pally and more are the stars of this multi-narrative film — and of the exclusive photos below that offer a sneak peek into this summer family movie.
Of...
Enter Dog Days. Out Aug. 10, Marino’s new film is a “Love Actually meets Marley and Me” canine rom-com stacked with an impressive animal-loving cast. Eva Longoria, Vanessa Hudgens, Finn Wolfhard, Nina Dobrev, Adam Pally and more are the stars of this multi-narrative film — and of the exclusive photos below that offer a sneak peek into this summer family movie.
Of...
- 6/15/2018
- by Kelli Bender
- PEOPLE.com
wide
Blockers [my review]
Kay Cannon directs this ensemble comedy about parents and their teen daughters. Costarring Leslie Mann, Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Viswanathan, and Gideon Adlon. (male screenwriters)
The Miracle Season [IMDb] pictured
Elissa Matsueda cowrites the screenplay of the sports drama about a high-school girls’ volleyball team that must come together to win a championship after a tragedy. Starring Helen Hunt, Tiera Skovbye, Erin Moriarty, and Danika Yarosh. (male director)
A Quiet Place [my review]
Emily Blunt and Millicent Simmonds costar as the mother and daughter of a small family trying to survive a monster apocalypse. (male writers and director)
limited
You Were Never Really Here [IMDb]
Lynne Ramsay writes and directs this thriller about a (male) veteran who rescues underage girls from sex trafficking.
Where Is Kyra? [IMDb]
Michelle Pfeiffer stars in this drama as a woman rapidly descending into poverty. Cowritten by Darci Picoult. (male director)
Shelter [IMDb]
Golshifteh Farahani and Neta Riskin star...
Blockers [my review]
Kay Cannon directs this ensemble comedy about parents and their teen daughters. Costarring Leslie Mann, Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Viswanathan, and Gideon Adlon. (male screenwriters)
The Miracle Season [IMDb] pictured
Elissa Matsueda cowrites the screenplay of the sports drama about a high-school girls’ volleyball team that must come together to win a championship after a tragedy. Starring Helen Hunt, Tiera Skovbye, Erin Moriarty, and Danika Yarosh. (male director)
A Quiet Place [my review]
Emily Blunt and Millicent Simmonds costar as the mother and daughter of a small family trying to survive a monster apocalypse. (male writers and director)
limited
You Were Never Really Here [IMDb]
Lynne Ramsay writes and directs this thriller about a (male) veteran who rescues underage girls from sex trafficking.
Where Is Kyra? [IMDb]
Michelle Pfeiffer stars in this drama as a woman rapidly descending into poverty. Cowritten by Darci Picoult. (male director)
Shelter [IMDb]
Golshifteh Farahani and Neta Riskin star...
- 4/6/2018
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Greenlit means a project is officially a go, so all you have to do is follow these leads to stay up to date. You never know where you’ll find an opportunity to land an audition! Summer might be over, but “Dog Days” is just about to gear up production in Los Angeles as more names are added to the cast list of the Ken Marino–directed project. Nina Dobrev and Finn Wolfhard were already attached to the indie rom-com, and Vanessa Hudgens is the latest to join the film. The plot follows an ensemble cast of people who want more from life and look to their dogs for support. The characters’ stories will become intertwined throughout the film. Elissa Matsueda and Erica Oyama wrote the script, and Susie Farris is handling casting. Shooting is expected to begin later this year in L.A, so SoCal actors, look out for...
- 9/28/2017
- backstage.com
Exclusive: Eva Longoria is in negotiations to join Nina Dobrev, Finn Wolford and Tone Bell in director Ken Marino’s sophomore feature Dog Days, from Ld Entertainment (Megan Leavey, Jackie). Written by Elissa Matsueda and Erica Oyama, the film is slated to go before cameras next month. Dog Days follows a group of humans brought together by their canine pets as they work through hardships in life. Longoria is in talks to play Grace, a loving wife and mother who can't bear…...
- 9/28/2017
- Deadline
Exclusive: Finn Wolfhard, who is riding with the recent blockbuster horror pic It, has set his next film project. The young actor has come aboard the Ken Marino-directed film Dog Days, from Ld Entertainment. Written by Elissa Matsueda and Erica Oyama, the pic follows a group of interconnected humans brought together by their canine counterparts as each faces hardships in life with their trusty pets at their side. Wolfhard will play Tyler, an altruistic and thoughtful…...
- 9/22/2017
- Deadline
Exclusive: William Hurt has been set to star opposite Helen Hunt in Live Like Line, the inspirational sports movie about a girls volleyball team trying to win against all odds. The film rejoins the actor with director Sean McNamara as they just completed The King’s Daughter (aka The Moon & The Sun) together. McNamara is directing Line with a script by David Aaron Cohen (Friday Night Lights) and revisions by Elissa Matsueda (Spare Parts). Shooting on the new film will…...
- 6/28/2016
- Deadline
Live Like Line
Helen Hunt is set to re-team with "Soul Surfer" director Sean McNamara on the inspirational sports movie "Live Like Line" at Ld Entertainment. David Aaron Cohen ("Friday Night Lights") penned the script with revisions by Elissa Matsueda. Filming is slated to begin in July.
The story chronicles Iowa City's West High girls volleyball team and its improbable run to the state championship under the guidance of their tough-love coach Kathy Bresnahan (Hunt) after the death of their star player Caroline 'Line' Found. [Source: Deadline]
When We First Met
Adam Devine ("Workaholics") is set to co-write and star opposite Alexandra Daddario ("San Andreas") in Ari Sandel's rom-com "When We First Met" for Footprint Features, Mxn and Wonderland Sound and Vision.
Devine stars as Noah, who spends the perfect first night with the girl of his dreams (Daddario) but gets relegated to the friend zone. He spends the next three...
Helen Hunt is set to re-team with "Soul Surfer" director Sean McNamara on the inspirational sports movie "Live Like Line" at Ld Entertainment. David Aaron Cohen ("Friday Night Lights") penned the script with revisions by Elissa Matsueda. Filming is slated to begin in July.
The story chronicles Iowa City's West High girls volleyball team and its improbable run to the state championship under the guidance of their tough-love coach Kathy Bresnahan (Hunt) after the death of their star player Caroline 'Line' Found. [Source: Deadline]
When We First Met
Adam Devine ("Workaholics") is set to co-write and star opposite Alexandra Daddario ("San Andreas") in Ari Sandel's rom-com "When We First Met" for Footprint Features, Mxn and Wonderland Sound and Vision.
Devine stars as Noah, who spends the perfect first night with the girl of his dreams (Daddario) but gets relegated to the friend zone. He spends the next three...
- 5/7/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the new true-story drama “Spare Parts” starring George Lopez and Marisa Tomei!
“Spare Parts,” which opens on Jan. 16, 2015 and is rated “PG-13,” also stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Carlos PenaVega, Esai Morales, Steven Michael Quezada, Stafford Douglas and David Del Rio from director Sean McNamara and writer Elissa Matsueda based on an article by Joshua Davis.
To win your free “Spare Parts” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!
Preferably, use your computer to enter rather than your smartphone.
“Spare Parts,” which opens on Jan. 16, 2015 and is rated “PG-13,” also stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Carlos PenaVega, Esai Morales, Steven Michael Quezada, Stafford Douglas and David Del Rio from director Sean McNamara and writer Elissa Matsueda based on an article by Joshua Davis.
To win your free “Spare Parts” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!
Preferably, use your computer to enter rather than your smartphone.
- 1/13/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Lionsgate has released the trailer for "Spare Parts" starring George Lopez, Jamie Lee Curtis, Carlos PenaVega, Esai Morales, Jose Julian, David Del Rio, Oscar Gutierrez, Alexa PenaVega, Alessandra Rosaldo and Marisa Tomei.
The film was directed by Sean McNamara based on the Wired Magazine article “La Vida Robot” by Joshua Davis and Screenplay by Elissa Matsueda.
"Spare Parts" is a true life story about four Hispanic high school students who form a robotics club under the leadership of their school’s newest teacher, Fredi (George Lopez). With no experience, 800 bucks, used car parts and a dream, this rag tag team goes up against the country’s reigning robotics champion, MIT. On their journey, they learn not only how to build a robot- they learn to build a bond that will last a lifetime.
Have a look at the trailer below.
"Spare Parts" hits theaters on January 16, 2015.
The film was directed by Sean McNamara based on the Wired Magazine article “La Vida Robot” by Joshua Davis and Screenplay by Elissa Matsueda.
"Spare Parts" is a true life story about four Hispanic high school students who form a robotics club under the leadership of their school’s newest teacher, Fredi (George Lopez). With no experience, 800 bucks, used car parts and a dream, this rag tag team goes up against the country’s reigning robotics champion, MIT. On their journey, they learn not only how to build a robot- they learn to build a bond that will last a lifetime.
Have a look at the trailer below.
"Spare Parts" hits theaters on January 16, 2015.
- 11/10/2014
- by Kellvin Chavez
- LRMonline.com
Hellbent on pleasing the underserved--and burgeoning--Hispanic audience, Lionsgate and Pantelion Film have scheduled upcoming flick "Spare Parts" for release on January 16, 2015. Starring George Lopez, the film is based on the true story of four Hispanic high school students who start a robotics club and, with no experience and little money, work their way up to challenge the country's reigning robotics champ, MIT. Jaime Lee Curtis, Marisa Tomei, Alexa PenaVega and Carlos Pena star alongside Lopez. Sean McNamara, who has helmed many kids TV and film projects, is directing from a script by newcomer Elissa Matsueda.
- 6/19/2014
- by Jacob Combs
- Thompson on Hollywood
Marisa Tomei has joined La Vida Robot, Pantelion Films' upcoming drama about four undocumented Mexican-American high school students who form a robotics club. George Lopez also stars in the project, which is being directed by Sean McNamara (Soul Surfer) from a script by Elissa Matsueda. The story is based on a Wired magazine piece by Joshua Davis. Tomei will play a teacher who supports the high school robotics team as they compete in the national robotics competition against reigning champion MIT. Story: Box Office Milestone: 'Instructions Not Included' Top Spanish-Language Film of All Time in U.S. Lopez
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- 11/4/2013
- by Rebecca Ford
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
La Vida Robot has cast Big Time Rush star Carlos Pena as one of the leads. The Lionsgate and Pantelion Films English-language project is based on the true story of four undocumented Mexican-American high school students who form a robotics club and go up against MIT in the National Underwater Robotics Competition. George Lopez also stars in the project, which is being directed by Sean McNamara (Soul Surfer) from a script by Elissa Matsueda. The story is based on a Wired magazine piece by Joshua Davis. Principal photography is slated to begin in New Mexico in mid-October.
read more...
read more...
- 10/3/2013
- by Rebecca Ford
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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