Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: What was the biggest hit/disappointment of 2003?

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Posted by Scott Madsen (Member # 167) on 12-28-2003, 09:07 AM:

What was everyone's biggest hit of 2003 at your theatre? Also, what was the movie you were expecting to do well, yet turned into disappointment?

[ 12-29-2003, 12:40 PM: Message edited by: Scott Madsen ]

Posted by Richard Greco (Member # 2032) on 12-28-2003, 09:19 AM:

This belongs in Ground Forum or Yak

Posted by John Carpenter (Member # 1488) on 12-28-2003, 08:47 PM:

Biggest dissapointment here: Looney Tunes
Biggest Hit: Finding Nemo (as for one that was a bit unexpected) or Matrix: Reloaded (we expected that to be big)

disclaimer: we split product with Regal so we didnt get it all...

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-28-2003, 08:59 PM:

Our biggest hit of the year was LOTR/ROTK.

I wouldn't call it a disappointment really but the biggest surprise to me was "Elf." While we did well with it, it got its arse kicked locally by "Brother Bear," which I totally didn't expect.

Posted by Richard Greco (Member # 2032) on 12-28-2003, 10:05 PM:

Our biggest hit since I worked for our theatre was LOTR:RoTK

Our biggest disappointmant would be Looney Tunes:Back in Action.

The biggest hit this year for the theatre w/o me there was
Bad Boys 2

The biggest flop for that theatre was Gigli

Posted by Scott Balko (Member # 438) on 12-28-2003, 10:25 PM:

We did well with Bruce Almighty, Nemo and Elf, but I think the big winner is ROTK. The big looser would have to be Sinbad back in July. The biggest disappointment, I would agree to be Looney Tunes. [Frown]

Posted by Jim Leko (Member # 1287) on 12-29-2003, 10:16 AM:

Our biggest flop (albeit expected) was From Justin to Kelly (only had it for a week and a half)

Our biggest disappointment I think would be Terminator 3: Rise of The Machines (It died pretty fast).

Biggest surprise, I think is Finding Nemo. Although expecting it to do well, it lasted MUCH longer than I thought it would.

________

Although I like LoTR:RoTK (I have seen it 4 times already), it has already been moved out of our 2 large houses. Cheaper by the Dozen is outselling it at my theater. Cheaper by the Dozen and Peter Pan now occupy our two large houses (We only have 1 print of Peter Pan, and 2 of both Cheaper/RoTK, so Peter Pan still has fewer seats than RoTK.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 12-29-2003, 12:16 PM:

Biggest disappointment was definitely "Gerry," which we didn't even get at the 6-plex, due to it's poor opening elsewhere (we were scheduled to open it one week after the area premiere). Great film, horrible business.

Biggest hit might have been "Big Fat Greek Wedding," which I believe was still playing in early 2003. Horrible film, but really popular with the old-lady crowd. Winged Migration (great film) would probably be second.

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 12-29-2003, 12:28 PM:

Biggest hits: 'Finding Nemo', 'LOTR:ROTK', 'Matrix Reloaded'

Biggest bombs: 'Gigli', 'Looney Tunes' 'LXG'

Biggest disappointments: 'Looney Tunes', 'Brother Bear', 'Cat In The Hat' 'LXG'

Longest 'legs': Finding Nemo

-Aaron

Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 12-30-2003, 01:27 PM:

Biggest Hit: Winged Migration

Biggest Disappointment: The Event
And the entire month of October.

Biggest Disappointment viewing: Elf [puke]

Probably this years most profitable film: Elf [fu]

Posted by Christian Appelt (Member # 1067) on 12-30-2003, 05:57 PM:

DISAPPOINTMENTS
1. MATRIX REVOLUTIONS
Enough has been said.

2. PIRATES OF THE CARRIBBEAN
I expected a great genre movie, but except some good J. Depp gags it's just the old and boring CGI stuff, badly staged fight scenes and poor scoring.

SURPRISE
LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION
I know nobody liked it, but the character animation is a lot better than in SPACE JAM, and being an animation buff, I enjoyed the many asides and hidden jokes. But certainly didn't work with the kids, I admit...

BEST FILM I MISSED THE FIRST TIME AROUND
LOS OTROS/THE OTHERS with Nicole Kidman, great cinematography, great acting, good story - all in one film! [Smile]

Posted by Anslem Rayburn (Member # 1267) on 12-31-2003, 02:45 AM:

Hit: Return of the King, easily

Disappointment: Terminator 3

Gigli, From Justin to Kelly, et al were horrible, but that was expected so they really didn't disappoint.

Posted by Marcial Feliciano Ramos (Member # 1989) on 01-01-2004, 12:37 AM:

Biggest disappointment: Looney Tunes: Back in Action

Biggest Hit: Finding Nemo, Bad Boys 2, 2Fast 2 Furious, and of course THE LORD OF THE FILMS...i mean RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING

Posted by Jennifer Pan (Member # 2035) on 01-01-2004, 01:10 AM:

Biggest Hit: Finding Nemo (it was still playing at our theater right before the DVD came out)

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 01-01-2004, 02:12 AM:

Biggest Hit: Bad Boys II

Biggest Flop: Alex & Emma

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 01-01-2004, 03:21 AM:

Biggest Hit: Finding Nemo, Return of the King, Pirates of the Caribbean

Flop: Looney Tunes, Gigli, The Missing

AJG

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 2038) on 01-01-2004, 01:24 PM:

Our biggest: Chicago. We booked it for 2 weeks and kept it 4, Nemo, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Elf were close behind. (We are sub-run)

Our worst: Lost In Translation. People weren't interested at all.

Best ever: Greek Wedding, we ran it for 17 weeks in 2002, and were one of the few places to open with it around here.

Posted by R. Andrew Diercks (Member # 1725) on 01-02-2004, 12:47 PM:

Biggest hit was ROTK, but Cheaper by the Dozen surpassed it last night. Nemo is right up there. Luther did very well here too, very religious community.

Dissappointment: have to agree with Looney Tunes. Peter Pan bombed too, I don't think we cleared 200 people yet.

Personally worst I saw this year: Medallion

Need to see a lot more before I declare best.

Posted by William Leland III (Member # 1400) on 01-02-2004, 02:48 PM:

my paycheck [Big Grin]

Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 01-02-2004, 04:42 PM:

Will,

GREAT POINT

I'll be the first to second that comment!

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 01-08-2004, 05:41 PM:

Biggest surprise:

Bend It Like Beckham. The AMC Hamilton picked it up in mid-April and ran it all the way to the mainstream re-release in August. When this film went mainstream the Regal Marlboro picked it up instead of opening Gigli. [Big Grin]

Major disappointments:

Winged Migration. Expanded to NYC suburbs the day Finding Nemo opened.

Spellbound. Opened in NYC in May, expanded to New Jersey in June -- too late for its natural audience (schoolchildren) to see it in theaters.

Camp. Great premise -- high school kids put on a Broadway revue in the mountains. Horrible title -- made it sound like a gay flick or a B-movie. Opened in NYC in early August; expanded to New Jersey the same day as Le Divorce.

Posted by R. Andrew Diercks (Member # 1725) on 01-09-2004, 05:34 PM:

The numbers are in as an update here is the Official top 5 for 2003 at my theatre. We were not open for the first quarter.
1. Finding Nemo
2. Luther
3. *Cheaper by the Dozen
4. Elf
5. *LOTR: Return of the King
*Contain some income in 2004

Worst
1. Jeepers Creepers 2
2. Freddy vs. Jason
3. Duplex
4. Medallion
5. Down With Love
Sinbad gets a dishonorable mention. Very close sixth.

You can somewhat see a reflection of our demographics here, rated R movies don't perform well, especially horror.

I did not include movies that ran for less than 2 weeks.

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 01-09-2004, 10:04 PM:

Site 1
Top 5
Bad Boys II
Matrix Reloaded
Fighting Temptations
X2: X-Men United
Freddy Vs. Jason

Bottom 5
Whale Rider
Better Luck Tomorrow
The Magdalene Sisters
Le Divorce
Alex & Emma

Site 2
Top 5
Bad Boys II
Matrix Reloaded
Fighting Temptations
Freddy Vs. Jason
X2: X-Men United

Site 2
Bottom 5
Secondhand Lions
Alex & Emma
Grind
A View From The Top
Duplex