Two family films topped the box office last weekend. Both films are rated PG.
The performance of ALICE IN WONDERLAND has been impressive. The film was not shot for the 3D format from what I heard, but the conversion for 3D in the wake of AVATAR’s success has proven to be a masterstroke. If only ALICE was the right film to showcase 3D. Regardless, the added depth, and higher ticket prices, has helped make the film $265 million plus in just 3 weeks.
But the success of last weekend’s second place film, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, should ensure that more films aimed at this audience demographic (loosely described as ages 10 and up) will be green lit. Later this week, I’ll post my interview with filmmaker Jason Winn, director of THE FAT BOY CHRONICLES. Since I served as an assistant producer on that film, I won’t formally review it. But I mention it here because like DIARY, CHRONICLES is the kind of film that fits in nicely with the trend in audience taste. $21.8 million for such a small film means a chord has been struck.
But think about the failure of REPO MEN. With two well-known stars in Jude Law and Forest Whitaker and a splashy ad campaign, MEN should have had no problem breaking out of single digits. But with only $6.1 million, the public rejected it as much as the critics. With a 20 percent rotten rating on the RottenTomatoes.com tomato meter, MEN was the kind of tired exercise in extreme story and gory, violent visuals that used to be enough to deliver decent numbers. But with a budget that likely doubles that of DIARY, REPO MEN is not only a financial failure but will likely capture the Razzie as well (and this prediction in March).
This week is likely to continue the family film box office bonanza as DreamWorks trots out another 3D offering HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. It may be possible that the top three films could have PG ratings. Counter programming may be found in HOT TUB TIME MACHINE that’s proudly wearing it’s R rating.
The main question begged may be: has the strength of the once coveted PG-13 rating been undermined? Is PG back?
