Hollywood has always been categorized as being obsessed with youth, constantly looking for the next big young star and endlessly chasing the teenage dollar at the box office. But it's interesting to note that directing seems
to be one of the few jobs where age is considered an asset, not a
liability. Many of today's top directors are men (and, in a handful of
cases, women) who've been at it for decades. This year's Oscar nominees featured 76-year-old Woody Allen alongside Martin Scorcese (69) and Terrence Malick (68). Ridley Scott, at 74, is still making summer blockbusters. And of course, Clint Eastwood shows no signs of slowing down at age 81, still churning out a movie almost every year, and in some cases, more than one. Even Steven Spielberg, at 65 is now ready to collect his Social Security.
While one may think that great directors such as Spielberg and Scorcese should naturally be able to continue working for as long as they'd like, I was curious as to whether this is a new trend in filmmaking, or whether it was always the case. Looking back at the careers of several legendary directors of the past and comparing them today, a few patterns do emerge:
For the most part, the legendary director's of the 40's, 50's and 60's did continue working until their late sixties at least. William Wyler (Ben-Hur) directed his last film at age 68, John Ford (The Grapes of Wrath) at 72, David Lean (Lawrence of Arabia) at 75, Alfred Hitchcock (Vertigo) at 76. In general, they made their final films 5-10 years before their deaths, with the exceptions of those such as Billy Wilder (Some Like it Hot), Frank Capra (It's a Wonderful Life), and Elia Kazan (On the Waterfront) who lived well into their nineties.
So famous directors working into their twilight years is not necessarily new. However, the quality and consistency of their films is another story altogether. Many of these directors may have made films into their 70s, but by and large, the films they made were not considered up to par with their earlier work, and as a director got older, any work at all was harder to come by. Billy Wilder's last film was Buddy, Buddy, a widely panned Jack Lemmon/Walter Mathau comedy made in 1981 at age 74. Wilder often complained of discrimination due to his advanced age, and took the film simply because it was the only one offered to him. Frank Capra made his last film in 1964 at the age of 68, and unable to find any subsequent work, retired altogether from filmmaking and moved out of Hollywood.
More recently though, notable directors are not only making more films, but many are making what some consider to be their finest work. John Huston (The Maltese Falcon) may have set the precedent, having famously worked straight until his death in 1987 at age 81, and making the acclaimed Prizzi's Honor in 1985. And in the last decade, Robert Altman (MASH) and Sidney Lumet (12 Angry Men) were both still making acclaimed films on a consistent basis until their deaths at ages 81 and 86 respectively. Now, as Scorcese, Eastwood, and other have shown, age is seemingly no barrier to greatness anymore. Moreover, although their films may not be generating the same level of acclaim anymore, directors like Oliver Stone, Brian De Palma, and Robert Redford are still working consistently, and choosing projects instead of being forced into taking them just to earn a paycheque. At 73, Francis Ford Coppola may be directing bizarre and critically panned films such as Youth Without Youth and Twixt, but what is important is that he is making the films he wants to make.
Perhaps this level of freedom is the biggest contributor to why so many older directors continue to work. Compared to the studio-dominated days of the 1950s and 60s, there are for more independent studios out there willing to finance films today, and for a director with name recognition more avenues available to make them. So long as the climate stays welcome for senior directors, I expect the majority to continue taking advantage of it, because it seems that they've got no lack of stories they still want to tell. As Woody Allen said, "You know, I've made a lot of films, but I've never felt like I really made a masterpiece, and I would love to. That would be fun."
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
The Other Summer Movies - Part 2
In my last post, I looked at five "almost-blockbuster" summer movies that may not have been huge franchise films, but had the potential to break into that upper echelon. For this article, we'll look in the opposite direction at five films opening in limited release or much further under the radar.
It can be dangerous to release an independent, arthouse, or small-scale movie during the summer, when the traditional season for such films is in the fall or winter and there's the danger of being over shadowed by the summer blockbusters. But if a studio has faith in a film, releasing it early can actually work to its advantage, as the summer season is much less crowded and films can gain early momentum towards end-of-year success. So while none of these films are likely to break any box office records, they all have the potential to be remembered for much longer.
Starring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray
With his first live-action film in five years, Wes Anderson has brought in his usual cadre of actors, although the film's central stars are 12-year-olds Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as Boy Scout and his girlfriend who run away from their New England township in the 1960's. Willis, Norton, and Murray (among others including Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman), play the town's oddball collection of police officers, parents, and Scout Leaders that fan out to find them. Anderson's low-key, extremely dry sense of humor and penchant for eccentric character studies isn't for everyone, but for those of us seeking a return to the same form he showed with The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic, this could represent the director's best work in years.
The organizers at Cannes seem to agree, as Moonrise Kingdom will be the festival's Opening Night presentation, with its stateside release following soon afterwards. It's too early to tell whether the current buzz will translate to any mainstream success for the film, but we should at least have a much better idea following its showing at Cannes.
Starring Roberto Benigni, Woody Allen, Penelope Cruz
Woody Allen has had at least one movie released a year since 1981, and he shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. And after the success of Midnight in Paris, he's arguably riding higher now than he has in years. Between Paris, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and his recent London-based films, Allen's move to European locales seems to have reinvigorated him, and he's continuing that trend by moving to Italy for his newest film.
To Rome With Love diverges from the rest of Allen's recent films a bit by using its ensemble cast in a series of vignettes set in the Italian capital rather than as part of a single storyline, and it's also notable to see Allen himself acting in one of his movies for the first time since 2006's Scoop. And with the cast also featuring both Allen's usual collection of stars (Penelope Cruz, Alec Baldwin, Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, and Judy Davis among others) alongside a host of native Italian actors including Roberto Benigni, that alone should put it on any film lover's must-watch list.
Starring Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer
Steven Soderbergh has been hinting for some time now that he wants to take an indefinite leave of absence from filmmaking shortly, and although few people actually think he intends to permanently retire, any period of inactivity from a director like Soderbergh is unfortunate. After all, there aren't many out there who can see me on a film with Matthew McConaughey as the owner of a male strip club, also starring bland action star Channing Tatum and based on Tatum's own pre-stardom stripping experiences. But it's always been about the right role for an actor, and I can think of very few better roles for Channing Tatum than "male stripper", and very few better directors for that role than Soderbergh is.
In fact, it's always been Soderbergh's willingness to throw caution to the wind and film whatever he wants that has made him such a great director over time. He can direct Julia Roberts to an Oscar with Erin Brokovich and get everyone in Hollywood together to remake Ocean's Eleven one day, and then turn around and direct a four-hour Che Guevera biopic (Che) or an experimental murder mystery starring non-actors (Bubble) the next. Sure, it'll occasionally all go wrong and he'll make something like The Good German, but filmmaking can't always be safe, and it shouldn't always be safe.
Starring Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry
Zeitlin's directorial debut came out of nowhere to win the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and Fox Searchlight immediately snapped it up after a short bidding war. Whether they can translate that into success with audiences at large remains to be seen, but its Sundance reaction alone has put it at the forefront of the summer's arthouse releases. The film is almost entirely from the perspective of the 6-year-old Wallis, playing a girl named Hushpuppy from a remote Louisiana bayou on a half-magical, half-real journey to find her mother in the aftermath of a near-apocalyptic hurricane.
Beasts is said to be an unorthodox film both in style and narrative, and it's deliberately unclear on how much of it is real and how much is a product of Hushpuppy's imagination. So like Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life last year, I can expect some people who walk in expecting a more traditional movie to walk out confused. But just as The Tree of Life succeeded nonetheless, garnering the most money of any of Malick's films and awards-season acclaim, I can see Beasts of the Southern Wild being the kind of summer film that is remembered nonetheless.
Starring Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston, Cee Lo Green
A remake of a 1970's musical about a trio of sisters and based loosely on the rise to fame of The Supremes, Sparkle differs somewhat from the other films on the list as it's starting out in wide release, but it certainly fits in here better than it would have amongst the big-budget blockbusters. Although it likely would have had a much smaller profile had it not been for Whitney Houston's sudden passing in February, three months after filming had been completed. Houston plays the single mother of the sisters, with former American Idol Jordin Sparks in the central role.
The original film was the inspiration for the hit musical Dreamgirls and its subsequent film version, so the 2012 version might ironically suffer for that by being seen as derivative, right down to the Sparks/Jennifer Hudson comparisons that are sure to arise. But if Sparkle is strong enough as a film to stand on its own feet, that combined with the ramped-up interest it's getting for being Houston's last screen appearance could make it a late-summer sleeper hit.
It can be dangerous to release an independent, arthouse, or small-scale movie during the summer, when the traditional season for such films is in the fall or winter and there's the danger of being over shadowed by the summer blockbusters. But if a studio has faith in a film, releasing it early can actually work to its advantage, as the summer season is much less crowded and films can gain early momentum towards end-of-year success. So while none of these films are likely to break any box office records, they all have the potential to be remembered for much longer.
Moonrise Kingdom - May 25
Directed by Wes AndersonStarring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray
With his first live-action film in five years, Wes Anderson has brought in his usual cadre of actors, although the film's central stars are 12-year-olds Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward as Boy Scout and his girlfriend who run away from their New England township in the 1960's. Willis, Norton, and Murray (among others including Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman), play the town's oddball collection of police officers, parents, and Scout Leaders that fan out to find them. Anderson's low-key, extremely dry sense of humor and penchant for eccentric character studies isn't for everyone, but for those of us seeking a return to the same form he showed with The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic, this could represent the director's best work in years.
The organizers at Cannes seem to agree, as Moonrise Kingdom will be the festival's Opening Night presentation, with its stateside release following soon afterwards. It's too early to tell whether the current buzz will translate to any mainstream success for the film, but we should at least have a much better idea following its showing at Cannes.
To Rome With Love - June 15
Directed by Woody AllenStarring Roberto Benigni, Woody Allen, Penelope Cruz
Woody Allen has had at least one movie released a year since 1981, and he shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. And after the success of Midnight in Paris, he's arguably riding higher now than he has in years. Between Paris, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and his recent London-based films, Allen's move to European locales seems to have reinvigorated him, and he's continuing that trend by moving to Italy for his newest film.
To Rome With Love diverges from the rest of Allen's recent films a bit by using its ensemble cast in a series of vignettes set in the Italian capital rather than as part of a single storyline, and it's also notable to see Allen himself acting in one of his movies for the first time since 2006's Scoop. And with the cast also featuring both Allen's usual collection of stars (Penelope Cruz, Alec Baldwin, Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, and Judy Davis among others) alongside a host of native Italian actors including Roberto Benigni, that alone should put it on any film lover's must-watch list.
Magic Mike - June 29
Directed by Steven SoderberghStarring Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer
Steven Soderbergh has been hinting for some time now that he wants to take an indefinite leave of absence from filmmaking shortly, and although few people actually think he intends to permanently retire, any period of inactivity from a director like Soderbergh is unfortunate. After all, there aren't many out there who can see me on a film with Matthew McConaughey as the owner of a male strip club, also starring bland action star Channing Tatum and based on Tatum's own pre-stardom stripping experiences. But it's always been about the right role for an actor, and I can think of very few better roles for Channing Tatum than "male stripper", and very few better directors for that role than Soderbergh is.
In fact, it's always been Soderbergh's willingness to throw caution to the wind and film whatever he wants that has made him such a great director over time. He can direct Julia Roberts to an Oscar with Erin Brokovich and get everyone in Hollywood together to remake Ocean's Eleven one day, and then turn around and direct a four-hour Che Guevera biopic (Che) or an experimental murder mystery starring non-actors (Bubble) the next. Sure, it'll occasionally all go wrong and he'll make something like The Good German, but filmmaking can't always be safe, and it shouldn't always be safe.
Beasts of the Southern Wild - July 6
Directed by Benh ZeitlinStarring Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry
Zeitlin's directorial debut came out of nowhere to win the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and Fox Searchlight immediately snapped it up after a short bidding war. Whether they can translate that into success with audiences at large remains to be seen, but its Sundance reaction alone has put it at the forefront of the summer's arthouse releases. The film is almost entirely from the perspective of the 6-year-old Wallis, playing a girl named Hushpuppy from a remote Louisiana bayou on a half-magical, half-real journey to find her mother in the aftermath of a near-apocalyptic hurricane.
Beasts is said to be an unorthodox film both in style and narrative, and it's deliberately unclear on how much of it is real and how much is a product of Hushpuppy's imagination. So like Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life last year, I can expect some people who walk in expecting a more traditional movie to walk out confused. But just as The Tree of Life succeeded nonetheless, garnering the most money of any of Malick's films and awards-season acclaim, I can see Beasts of the Southern Wild being the kind of summer film that is remembered nonetheless.
Sparkle - August 17
Directed by Salim AkilStarring Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston, Cee Lo Green
A remake of a 1970's musical about a trio of sisters and based loosely on the rise to fame of The Supremes, Sparkle differs somewhat from the other films on the list as it's starting out in wide release, but it certainly fits in here better than it would have amongst the big-budget blockbusters. Although it likely would have had a much smaller profile had it not been for Whitney Houston's sudden passing in February, three months after filming had been completed. Houston plays the single mother of the sisters, with former American Idol Jordin Sparks in the central role.
The original film was the inspiration for the hit musical Dreamgirls and its subsequent film version, so the 2012 version might ironically suffer for that by being seen as derivative, right down to the Sparks/Jennifer Hudson comparisons that are sure to arise. But if Sparkle is strong enough as a film to stand on its own feet, that combined with the ramped-up interest it's getting for being Houston's last screen appearance could make it a late-summer sleeper hit.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
The Other Summer Movies - Part 1
It may not technically be summer for another month and a half, but as far as the movie industry is concerned, summer officially begins this weekend. And although the summer movie season has been defined in recent years by the comic book and franchise films that get all the press, there are a host of other wide-release films vying for the public's dollar as well.
These other films are often more interesting to follow simply because they represent unknown quantities. There just isn't that much you can say about The Avengers or Batman that isn't already known, and even if they don't live up to expectations, they're still guaranteed to bring in a massive amount of money. The non-franchise films, on the other hand, carry a lot of risk on their shoulders, as one ill-timed flop can cost a studio millions, and it's often a guessing game as to which ones will succeed and which will fail. In this summer preview, I've highlighted five of these films that might be under the radar at the moment, but which I believe have the potential to be some of the season's biggest hits. This article will deal with wide-release films that could turn into blockbusters, while the second part will look at some of the independent and limited release films that could turn into breakout hits or have late-season awards potential.
Directed by Rupert Sanders
Starring Kirsten Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron
A year ago, Hollywood studios decided that movies based on fairy tales were going to be the newest trend, and then Red Riding Hood came out and flopped both critically and financially. Now, with multiple other adaptations already in development (Jack the Giant Killer and Hansel and Gretel are already slated for 2013), they've pinned their hopes on this dark adaptation of the Snow White story to act as the genre's tentpole film.
Snow White and the Huntsman is obviously trying to target the teenage fanbase that made Twilight and The Hunger Games such successes, from Kirsten Stewart's (Twilight) casting as the lead to the decidedly gothic advertising campaign, and as the summer's only major film that directly appeals to teenage girls, I think it's got a good chance of succeeding at that. The studio certainly agrees with me, as news came out last week that they're already in the planning stages of a sequel, a very good sign that the believe Snow White will be a success.
Directed by Ridley Scott
Starring Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender
In the same way that Snow White is looking to be the summer's biggest offering toward teenage females, Prometheus is looking to strike it big as the summer's biggest sci-fi flick targeted towards the older demographics, in the same way Inception did two years, attracting an audience looking for something a bit less cartoonish than the standard superhero fare. Ridley Scott's new film involves a team of scientists investigating an newly discovered alien civilization that may have been involved with the origins of humanity, and has been steadily building up buzz since its first trailer premiered at the Super Bowl.
Interestingly enough, although Prometheus isn't part of a franchise in its final form, it was originally conceived by Scott as being a prequel to the Alien franchise, before he ultimately decided the story was good enough to stand on its own.
Directed by Timur Bekmambitov
Starring Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Of course, there may be one or two films a summer targeted otherwise, but the 14-30 male demographic has always been the film industry's bread and butter during the summer, and his tongue-in-cheek adaptation of the best-selling novel detailing the "never before seen truth" behind Abraham Lincoln is the kind of unabashedly silly fun that can surpass expectations and break out for a big weekend or two. If AB:VH can follow in the footsteps of movies like Zombieland and put an actually clever spin on an old concept like vampires, it can be a big success.
Like Prometheus and Snow White, Abraham Lincoln also has the advantage of being in a good release date that will increase its chances. The summer's biggest movies usually stake out dates in May and July, and between the Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends there's often a "sweet spot" or sorts where non-franchise films have the opportunity to make themselves known. Films that get stuck in-between the big guns in May (Avengers, Men in Black 3) and July (Amazing Spider-Man, Dark Knight Returns) can often find themselves left out.
Directed by Seth MacFarlane
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis
While trying to open a new action or science fiction blockbuster in the middle of May or July can be dangerous, comedies have a better chance of success as they can provide a welcome break to the paying audience as they suffer from explosion-related fatigue. We've see films like The Hangover and Bridesmaids strike it rich in recent years with male and female-oriented plays on the raunchy buddy comedy, and this summer, I think that Seth MacFarlane's debut film about a man and his less-than-responsible imaginary friend that manifests itself as his teddy bear has the best chance to follow in their footsteps.
MacFarlane is of course best known as the creator of Family Guy and its various spinoffs in television, and given the freedom of the big-screen and an R-rating, fans of his TV series are eager to see what he has in store. The tale of a normal guy and the problems his "unseen" friend causes him has been played with going all the way back to Jimmy Stewart and Harvey, and it's the kind of plotline that allows MacFarlane unlimited chances to show off the quick-fire gags that made his shows such a success.
Directed by Sam Fell & Chris Butler
Voices of Casey Affleck, Anna Kendrick, Leslie Mann
Outside of Pixar's yearly entry (Brave), the 2012 summer is looking pretty bland when it comes to animated films. DreamWorks and Sony are trotting out new Ice Age and Madagascar sequels, and while both will likely make money, they aren't generating much excitement and both of those franchises are well past their primes by now. So if the summer's kids' flicks ends up disappointing on the whole, I think pent-up demand could turn Focus Features' clever-looking ParaNorman into an August hit. Kids have always loved scary, stuff, and the story of an outcast kid who learns to speak with the dead could draw in a crowd of youngsters in the same way that Monster House did a few years ago.
As an added bonus, ParaNorman could find itself benefiting from an unexpected source in Sylvester Stallone's R-rated The Expendables 2, also opening that weekend. Traditionally, when an R-rated film opens big at the box office, the most popular family film that weekend sees a bump in ticket sales from younger teenagers who buy tickets for one film and then try to sneak into the other one. And a ticket sold is a ticket sold, so I'm sure the studio won't be complaining.
These other films are often more interesting to follow simply because they represent unknown quantities. There just isn't that much you can say about The Avengers or Batman that isn't already known, and even if they don't live up to expectations, they're still guaranteed to bring in a massive amount of money. The non-franchise films, on the other hand, carry a lot of risk on their shoulders, as one ill-timed flop can cost a studio millions, and it's often a guessing game as to which ones will succeed and which will fail. In this summer preview, I've highlighted five of these films that might be under the radar at the moment, but which I believe have the potential to be some of the season's biggest hits. This article will deal with wide-release films that could turn into blockbusters, while the second part will look at some of the independent and limited release films that could turn into breakout hits or have late-season awards potential.
Snow White and the Huntsman - June 1
Starring Kirsten Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron
A year ago, Hollywood studios decided that movies based on fairy tales were going to be the newest trend, and then Red Riding Hood came out and flopped both critically and financially. Now, with multiple other adaptations already in development (Jack the Giant Killer and Hansel and Gretel are already slated for 2013), they've pinned their hopes on this dark adaptation of the Snow White story to act as the genre's tentpole film.
Snow White and the Huntsman is obviously trying to target the teenage fanbase that made Twilight and The Hunger Games such successes, from Kirsten Stewart's (Twilight) casting as the lead to the decidedly gothic advertising campaign, and as the summer's only major film that directly appeals to teenage girls, I think it's got a good chance of succeeding at that. The studio certainly agrees with me, as news came out last week that they're already in the planning stages of a sequel, a very good sign that the believe Snow White will be a success.
Prometheus - June 8
Directed by Ridley Scott
Starring Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender
In the same way that Snow White is looking to be the summer's biggest offering toward teenage females, Prometheus is looking to strike it big as the summer's biggest sci-fi flick targeted towards the older demographics, in the same way Inception did two years, attracting an audience looking for something a bit less cartoonish than the standard superhero fare. Ridley Scott's new film involves a team of scientists investigating an newly discovered alien civilization that may have been involved with the origins of humanity, and has been steadily building up buzz since its first trailer premiered at the Super Bowl.
Interestingly enough, although Prometheus isn't part of a franchise in its final form, it was originally conceived by Scott as being a prequel to the Alien franchise, before he ultimately decided the story was good enough to stand on its own.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - June 22
Directed by Timur Bekmambitov
Starring Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Of course, there may be one or two films a summer targeted otherwise, but the 14-30 male demographic has always been the film industry's bread and butter during the summer, and his tongue-in-cheek adaptation of the best-selling novel detailing the "never before seen truth" behind Abraham Lincoln is the kind of unabashedly silly fun that can surpass expectations and break out for a big weekend or two. If AB:VH can follow in the footsteps of movies like Zombieland and put an actually clever spin on an old concept like vampires, it can be a big success.
Like Prometheus and Snow White, Abraham Lincoln also has the advantage of being in a good release date that will increase its chances. The summer's biggest movies usually stake out dates in May and July, and between the Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends there's often a "sweet spot" or sorts where non-franchise films have the opportunity to make themselves known. Films that get stuck in-between the big guns in May (Avengers, Men in Black 3) and July (Amazing Spider-Man, Dark Knight Returns) can often find themselves left out.
Ted - July 13
Directed by Seth MacFarlane
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis
While trying to open a new action or science fiction blockbuster in the middle of May or July can be dangerous, comedies have a better chance of success as they can provide a welcome break to the paying audience as they suffer from explosion-related fatigue. We've see films like The Hangover and Bridesmaids strike it rich in recent years with male and female-oriented plays on the raunchy buddy comedy, and this summer, I think that Seth MacFarlane's debut film about a man and his less-than-responsible imaginary friend that manifests itself as his teddy bear has the best chance to follow in their footsteps.
MacFarlane is of course best known as the creator of Family Guy and its various spinoffs in television, and given the freedom of the big-screen and an R-rating, fans of his TV series are eager to see what he has in store. The tale of a normal guy and the problems his "unseen" friend causes him has been played with going all the way back to Jimmy Stewart and Harvey, and it's the kind of plotline that allows MacFarlane unlimited chances to show off the quick-fire gags that made his shows such a success.
ParaNorman - August 18
Voices of Casey Affleck, Anna Kendrick, Leslie Mann
Outside of Pixar's yearly entry (Brave), the 2012 summer is looking pretty bland when it comes to animated films. DreamWorks and Sony are trotting out new Ice Age and Madagascar sequels, and while both will likely make money, they aren't generating much excitement and both of those franchises are well past their primes by now. So if the summer's kids' flicks ends up disappointing on the whole, I think pent-up demand could turn Focus Features' clever-looking ParaNorman into an August hit. Kids have always loved scary, stuff, and the story of an outcast kid who learns to speak with the dead could draw in a crowd of youngsters in the same way that Monster House did a few years ago.
As an added bonus, ParaNorman could find itself benefiting from an unexpected source in Sylvester Stallone's R-rated The Expendables 2, also opening that weekend. Traditionally, when an R-rated film opens big at the box office, the most popular family film that weekend sees a bump in ticket sales from younger teenagers who buy tickets for one film and then try to sneak into the other one. And a ticket sold is a ticket sold, so I'm sure the studio won't be complaining.
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