saidi’s take – 2/21/2023

Hello everyone,

• “Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania” was the #1 movie this past weekend but it just barely made their estimated amounts of $105 3-day and $120 4-day.  Some people are saying that this is because of the bad reviews and bad word of mouth for the movie.  It’s currently tied for the lowest score of any Marvel movie on Rotten Tomatoes with 47% “rotten” (the movie it’s tied with is “The Eternals”). 

• Meanwhile, “Avatar: The Way of Water” was distant second with just $6.5 million but it was enough to raise up to #9 on all time top domestic box office list with a total of $658 million total.  Coincidentally, this puts it right below “Titanic” ($672 million) on the all-time DOMESTIC box office list on the same weekend “Avatar: The Way of Water” once again – but just barely – moved ahead of “Titanic” on the all-time WORLDWIDE box office with $2.244 billion to “Titanic”s $2.243 billion.

Internationally, “Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania” was also #1 with an international total of $121 million. 

• For the awards given out this weekend, the DGA gave their top award to “Everything Everywhere All at Once” directors Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert which makes them the favorite to win best director(s) as the Academy Awards.

• The BAFTA awards voted heavily for “All Quiet On The Western Front” which won 7 awards including Best Film, Best Film Not in the English Language, Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Adapted Screenplay.  “The Banshees of Inisherin” was also a favorite with 4 wins including Outstanding British Film, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress.  Oddly, Colin Farrell didn’t win best actor for that movie although he’s won several other awards for the role.  Best Actor was Austin Butler for “Elvis”. 

Other than “All Quiet On The Western Front”, “The Banshees of Inisherin”, and “Elvis” – which also won Best Make-up & Hair and Best Costume Design – all the other movies were essentially shut out.  The DGA winner “Everything Everywhere All at Once” won 1 award for Best Editing, “Tár” won 1 for Cate Blanchett Best Actress, and “Avatar: The Way of Water” won 1 for best visual effects.

Little bit of humor….

100 “Forrest Gump” VHS tapes for $1???  It’s a deal ONLY if the suitcase has a VCR!!!