2015 Summer Movie Wager (UPDATED)

Each May, the fine folks over at /Film host a "Summer Movie Wager," in which their editors compete to predict the top box-office performers of the pending season. For years, I've mentally submitted a list and quietly applauded my ability to accurately forecast box-office successes (Guardians of the Galaxy) and disappointments (The Lone Ranger). This year, I'm upping the ante, putting my money where my mouth is, stepping up to the plate, throwing my hat in the ring, refusing to use any more metaphors, and posting my list for all see. Below are my official 2015 predictions, along with those of /Film editors Peter Sciretta, Germain Lussier, David Chen, and Jeff Cannata.

Rules:
Each participant provides a list of the 10 films they predict to earn the highest domestic box-office grosses of the summer, in order. Also, each contestant chooses 3 "Dark Horses" - films thought to potentially crack the Top 10, but choices that lack the confidence to be included in one's proper list. Only films released between May 1st and Labor Day are eligible for selection. All grosses earned subsequent to Labor Day, even for films released prior to the holiday, are not counted for the purposes of this wager. Final scores will be calculated after Labor Day using figures provided by Box Office Mojo.

Scoring:
Each correct prediction earns the SINGLE HIGHEST eligible point value. For example, correctly predicting number 5 dead-on earns you 10 points (3 additional points are not awarded for predicting a film in the Top 10).

• Predicting number 1 or number 10 dead-on - 13 points
• Predicting numbers 2-9 dead-on - 10 points
• Predicting a film one spot away from where it ends up - 7 points
• Two spots away - 5 points
• Predicting a film in the Top 10 - 3 points
• Predicting a Dark Horse in the Top 10 - 1 point

Be sure to check back after Labor Day for the final results!

UPDATE: (11/22/2015) The results are (finally) in! With an impressive 48 points, I edged-out runner-up Germain Lussier by 6 points to win the 2015 Summer Movie Wager! Please see below for a complete list of the 10 highest grossing films of the summer, as well as a detailed scoring breakdown of each entrants submission.

Anthony Mariano's List: 48 points (1/5)

1. Avengers: Age of Ultron (7)
2. Minions (5)
3. Jurassic World (5)
4. Inside Out (7)
5. Ted 2
6. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (7)
7. Ant-Man (10)
8. Trainwreck
9. Mad Max: Fury Road (7)
10. Tomorrowland

Dark Horses

• Fantastic Four
• Pixels
• Vacation

Peter Sciretta's List: 34 points (5/5)

1. Avengers: Age of Ultron (7)
2. Minions (5)
3. Jurassic World (5)
4. Ant-Man (3)
5. Ted 2
6. Tomorrowland
7. Inside Out (3)
8. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (3)
9. Mad Max: Fury Road (7)
10. Pixels

Dark Horses

• Fantastic Four
• Magic Mike XXL
• San Andreas (1)

David Chen's List: 45 points (2/5)

1. Avengers: Age of Ultron (7)
2. Inside Out (7)
3. Minions (7)
4. Ant-Man (3)
5. Pixels
6. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (7)
7. Jurassic World (3)
8. Ted 2
9. Tomorrowland
10. Mad Max: Fury Road (10)

Dark Horses

• Fantastic Four
• San Andreas (1)
• Terminator: Genisys

Germain Lussier's List: 42 points (3/5)

1. Avengers: Age of Ultron (7)
2. Minions (5)
3. Jurassic World (5)
4. Inside Out (7)
5. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (10)
6. Ant-Man (7)
7. Spy
8. Pixels
9. Ted 2
10. Terminator: Genisys

Dark Horses

• Magic Mike XXL
• Pitch Perfect 2 (1)
• Poltergeist

Jeff Cannata's List: 39 points (4/5)

1. Avengers: Age of Ultron (7)
2. Minions (5)
3. Jurassic World (5)
4. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (7)
5. Inside Out (5)
6. Ted 2
7. Magic Mike XXL
8. Mad Max: Fury Road (5)
9. Ant-Man (5)
10. Tomorrowland

Dark Horses

• Fantastic Four
• Poltergeist
• Terminator: Genisys

Trailer Tuesdays: Foxcatcher (2014)

Remember how Michael Scott reacted when he learned that Toby had returned to Dunder Mifflin? ("NOO GOD! NO. GOD. PLEASE. NO. NO!!! NO!!! NOOOOOO!!!") - Well that's how I reacted when I learned that Foxcatcher had been delayed from its original release date of December 2013 to 2014. Directed by Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball), Foxcatcher tells the true story of "Olympic Wrestling Champion Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) and how schizophrenic John duPont (Steve Carell) killed his brother, Olympic Champion Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo)." While I am eager to see a proven director like Miller tackle the difficult subject matter, the real draw of Foxcatcher is Steve Carell's portrayal of the prominent millionaire and mentally unstable John duPont. I have long praised Carell's acting prowess - from The Office to Crazy, Stupid, Love. Carell consistently delivers rich, subtle, and layered performances. A teaser trailer for Foxcatcher leaked online when the film was still intended for release in 2013, and the brief 65 seconds showcase a performance that is at once gripping, haunting, and downright chilling.
(TBA)

Trailer Tuesdays: Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

Despite a childhood infatuation with Star Wars and Marvel superheroes, I am genuinely concerned future generations will come to identify Disney as merely the parent company of Jedi Knights and Avengers. While recent acquisitions of Lucasfilm and Marvel Comics were sensible financial decisions, Disney would be mistaken to presume either brand is a defining cornerstone of the company. Thankfully, the production of a feature film seeped in Disney nostalgia provides a glimmer of hope that executives at Disney share my sentiment. Saving Mr. Banks tells the little-known story of Walt Disney's twenty years pursuit to the rights of Mary Poppins. Starring Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson as Walt Disney and author P.L. Travers, the trailer for Saving Mr. Banks exudes a sweet, high-spirited charm once common in Disney pictures.

To close the first episode of Disney's long-running anthology series, The Disneyland Story, Walt Disney famously remarked, "During the last few years we ventured into a lot of different fields, and we had the opportunity to meet and work with a lot of wonderful people. I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse." Now more than ever, please Disney, heed this advice.
(December 20)

1st Annual "Tony Awards"

Q: The Tony Awards are for achievement in live Broadway theatre, correct?

A: Technically, yes - that would be correct. However, for the purposes of this blog, the "Tony Awards" are an annual publication of a) the films released during the previous calendar year that I have seen b) a top-10 list of my favorite films of the year, and c) a 10-category award ceremony.

Q: The "Tony Awards" sound reminiscent of the Golden Globe and Academy Awards, which aired on January 13th and February 24th, respectively - aren't you a tad late to the party?

A: No. In fact, I would argue I am still quite early. The ability to withstand the test of time is the only true measure of artistic reverence. Which films released in 2012 will be admired for generations to come? Hint: No one knows. 

Critiquing contemporary cinema has long proven asinine. Just think - once a decade since 1952, the lauded British publication "Sight & Sound" has published a list of the 10 greatest films of all time, and not once has the preeminent picture (Bicycle Thieves, Citizen Kane, and Vertigo - for the curious reader) been a recipient of either the Golden Globe or Academy Award for Best Picture. Conversely, when have you last seen Shakespeare in Love or Slumdog Millionaire? Despite garnering the Best Picture Oscar, these films (and countless others) have quickly faded from public conscience. 

Using time as the litmus test for greatness allows for perception to evolve. Revered horror classics The Night of the Hunter (1955) and Psycho (1960) were originally dismissed by critics as offensive and gratuitous. Even It's a Wonderful Life struggled for decades to connect with general audiences - released 15 months following V-J Day, the film was deemed too depressing, too sentimental, and even too Communist (don't blame a rich banker, George Bailey!).

The 1st Annual "Tony Awards"

a) the films released during the previous calendar year that I have seen

b) a top-10 list of my favorite films of the year

c) a 10-category award ceremony

Trailer Tuesdays: The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

My name is Jordan Belfort. The year I turned twenty-six I made forty-nine million dollars - which really pissed me off, because it was three shy of a million a week.

Knowing my penchant for Martin Scorsese in general, and his ongoing collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio in particular, one could claim my admiration for the initial trailer of The Wolf of Wall Street is purely the product of unrestrained adulation and bias - but I don't care. Martin Scorsese, now seventy, has delivered a trailer reminiscent of earlier masterpieces, exuding the radiant energy of Goodfellas, the black humor of The King of Comedy, and the cathartic style of Raging Bull. But don't mistake The Wolf of Wall Street as a mere regurgitation of previous successes. Concerning the persistent onrush of time, Scorsese commented in 2010 that, "Given the amount of time and effort I put into a picture, there's no sense revisiting a similar one..." Following The Departed, I trusted Scorsese to approach successive features with uninhibited originality - Shutter Island and Hugo proved me accurate; the trailer for The Wolf of Wall Street proves me precise.

(November 15) 

Trailer Tuesdays: Pacific Rim (2013)

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, At the Mountains of Madness, Crimson Peak, Beauty and the Beast, The Haunted Mansion, Justice League Dark

Regularly labeled as one of the busiest men in Hollywood, Guillermo del Toro is attached to direct not one, but all of the aforementioned pictures. While the probability that all will come to fruition is minimal, a critically and financially successful Pacific Rim greatly increases their likelihood. del Toro  proved himself to be a truly visionary director with Pan's Labyrinth in 2006, and I believe visionary directors deserve the artistic freedom to create movies any way they please (not the way the studio elite dictate cough The Hobbit cough). A successful Pacific Rim would allow del Toro the ability to develop his passion projects, and for that reason alone, I'm hopeful del Toro will deliver an imaginative, crowd-pleasing adventure.
(July 11)

Trailer Tuesdays: Only God Forgives (2013)

Is Drive the neo-noir masterpiece many critics have declared it to be? YES! While I previously likened Drive to the '73 Chevelle Gosling drove in the film (badass and striking on the exterior, but not a true muscle car under the hood), I was mistaken on two accounts. Not only is Drive a fully realized vision of arthouse action, the '73 Chevelle was more than capable of inducing a shot of adrenaline too. To follow-up Drive, Gosling and director Nicholas Winding Refn have gone completely off the grid and traveled to Thailand to make an independent "revenge fairy tale." Gosling stars as a man who has been living in exile in Bangkok for the past ten years after killing a cop. He manages a Thai boxing club as a front for a drug operation and finds himself in hot water after his brother is killed for murdering a prostitute. The boy's mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) arrives in Bangkok to collect her son's body and instructs Gosling to take revenge and "raise hell." Gosling is on record as describing the script as "the strangest thing I've ever read and it's only going to get stranger." Only God Forgives has the potential to be the most violent, daring, and unusual film to be released in years. Need proof? Check out the leaked 20-second clip below. Even in 360p - it's downright stunning.
(May 23)

Trailer Tuesdays: Liberal Arts (2012)

Josh Randor, best known for his portrayal of Ted Mosby on the popular CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, has quietly established himself as a promising young writer/director. In 2010, Randor's freshman directorial effort, happythankyoumoreplease, won the coveted Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. While the film was later dismissed by critics and, to an extent, audiences, Randor gained an enthusiastic following. Earlier this year, Randor returned to the Sundance Film Festival with his sophomore film, Liberal Arts. Germain Lussier of /Film praised Liberal Arts and hailed Randor a "mini-Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire), mixing joy, life lessons and a love of culture into a perfect, crowd pleasing film." Now, I can't echo Lussier's praise based solely on a movie trailer, BUT the trailer exudes exactly what modern romantic-comedies lack: genuine heart. Co-starring Elizabeth Olsen, Zac Efron, and the always reliable Richard Jenkins, Liberal Arts may very well be the surprise of 2012.
(September 14)

Anthony's Top 10 Anticipated Releases of 2012

If 2012 actually is the end of the world that is alright with me. Hollywood has overstocked the Mayans final calendar year with so many potentially amazing projects, that compiling a top ten most anticipated list was virtually impossible.

#10 Looper (dir. Rian Johnson)
In Rian Johnson's upcoming science-fiction action film Looper, Joesph Gordon-Levitt plays Joe, a looper (a hitman who kills people sent back in time by mobs in the future) who eventually has to face-off against his future self (played by Bruce Willis). The acclaimed Brick director recently told the L.A. Times that Gordon-Levitt had to spend three hours a day in the make-up chair to apply practical prosthetics to resemble the older actor. While comparisons to the premise of The Terminator may be apparent, test screenings have been overly responsive hailing Looper an instant classic in the vein of The Matrix and Blade Runner.
(September 28) 

#9 Prometheus (dir. Ridley Scott)
It hasn't, but it feels like decades have passed since we last saw an honest-to-goodness, classic science-fiction film. More so than any other genre, science-fiction is accountable for my love of film, and the man behind Blade Runner and Alien is partially responsible for that. In 2012, director Ridley Scott makes his long overdue return to the genre he helped shape with this (sort-of?) Alien prequel. The moody teaser trailer suggests Prometheus may be the film that finally brings smart, big-budget science-fiction back to the mainstream. Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba, and Charlize Theron round out an impressive supporting cast in what is certainly this year's most anticipated science-fiction release.
(June 8) 

#8 The Five-Year Engagement (dir. Nicholas Stoller)
Despite religiously reading film blogs on a daily basis, I had no prior knowledge of The Five-Year Engagment before viewing its trailer early last month. I am surprised that the film has not generated more buzz as the trailer is so damn funny and heartfelt that the picture immediately made my list of most anticiapted releases. Produced by Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Bridesmaids), and directed by Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), The Five-Year Engagment aims to continue their tradition of crafting R-rated comedies that have equal emotional depth and rauchy laughs.
(April 27) 

#7 Gangster Squad (dir. Ruben Fleischer)
Destined to be an award contender this time next year, Gangster Squad chronicles the LAPD's fight to keep the East Coast Mafia out of Los Angeles during the late 1940s and early 1950s and features one of the most impressive ensembles of 2012 (Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, and Emma Stone). While the film's director, Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland, 30 Minutes or Less) may be inexperienced when it comes to directing a big-budget period drama, the actors involved should be able to make up for any shortcomings on his part.
(October 19)

#6 The Avengers (dir. Joss Whedon)
Yes, this is the perfect recipe for a full-fledged Hollywood disaster - a summer blockbuster where not two, but five characters worthy of their own franchises (Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, and Hawkwye) join forces - but it is also every "fanboy's" dream come true. It almost goes without saying that seeing these superheroes share the silver screen together will be entertaining, but will it make for a great film? I wish I was more familiar with Joss Whedon's work, as it is almost too easy in this scenario to create a blockbuster with all action, and no plot or character. Luckily, the initial trailer eased some of my hesitation concerning The Avengers as the picture appears to be more of an "Iron Man and friends" film, than a straight Avengers movie.
(May 4)

#5 Only God Forgives (dir. Nicholas Winding Refn)
Is Drive the neo-noir masterpiece many critics have declared it to be? I'll be honest - I'm still hesitant to make the claim (read my full review). Yet, one thing I cannot detract from Drive is its uncompromising audacity and originality. While my personal opinion of Drive may be ambivalent, it is apparent that the film's star, Ryan Gosling, and director, Nicholas Winding Refn, enjoyed the process of working together as the pair have already signed on to make two more films together over the next three years. Although I am intrigued to see what these two will do with a big studio budget (Drive was produced for a mere $13 million, Only God Forgives has an estimated budget of about half that), that will have to wait until 2014 when the pair remake the 1976 science-fiction film Logan's Run. In the meantime, Gosling and Refn are going completely off the grid to make a revenge film centering on a "Bangkok police lieutenant and a gangster who settle their differences in a Thai-boxing match." Gosling is on record as describing the script as "the strangest thing I've ever read and it's only going to get stranger." Only God Forgives has the potential to be the most violent, daring, and unusual film to be released in years. I'm sold.
(TBA)

#4 Django Unchained (dir. Quentin Tarantino)
Quentin Tarantino's eighth proper film, Django Unchained, tells the story of a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) who seeks revenge on his former master (Leonardo DiCaprio). Yet, as we have seen with previous Tarantino revenge films (Kill Bill, Inglorious Basterds) the premise is only a set up to a film with much larger ambitions. Tarantino has referred to Django Unchained as "a southern," stating that he wanted "to do movies that deal with America's horrible past with slavery, but do them like spaghetti westerns, not like big issue movies. I want to do them like they're genre films, but they deal with everything that America has never dealt with because it's ashamed of it, and other countries don't really deal with because they don't feel they have the right to." I'm listening. If this were just another Tarantino film my anticpation would already be there, but when news broke that Quentin had cast DiCaprio as the former slave owner, my anticipation sky-rocketed. I can not wait to see what Tarantino does with DiCaprio (who is in my opinion the greatest actor of his generation) in his first role as a villian - and a murderous, slave-owner at that. If Tarantino's script is half as good as his previous efforts, this film may overtake Kill Bill (no, wait - Pulp Fiction... no - Kill Bill) as my favorite Tarantino picture.
(December 25)

#3 Lincoln (dir. Steven Spielberg)
Daniel Day-Lewis is what one would refer to as a "method actor." The acclaimed performer only stars in one film every two or three years because of intense preparation he requires for each role he undertakes. I am not lying when I state that for the past year, Daniel Day-Lewis has remained in character perfecting Abraham Lincoln's dialect and mannerisms. Just the mere idea of Daniel Day-Lewis walking around believing he is Lincoln has me excited (the photo above was taken at a restaurant, not on set). Add the fact that Lincoln is directed by one of cinema's greatest living directors (Steven Spielberg) and features a stronger cast than any Ocean's 11 movie (Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, David Strathairn, Jackie Earle Haley, and Sally Field round out the supporting roles), and I'm completely sold. Lincoln promises to be closer to Schindler's List than Saving Private Ryan, focusing more on the man than the war he lived through. No greater director has better perfected the balancing act of simultaneously entertaining and educating audiences than Spielberg, and I trust him to deliver here once again.
(TBA)

#2 The Amazing Spider-Man (dir. Marc Webb)
"Stan Lee says that the reason why Spidey is so popular is because all of us can relate to him and I agree. I needed Spidey in my life when I was a kid, and he gave me hope. In every comic I read he was living out mine, and every skinny boy's fantasy, of being stronger, of being free of the body I was born into, and that swinging sensation of flight. And upon receiving his power, unlike most that become corrupted, he used it for good. I think we all wish that we had the courage to stick up for ourselves more, to stick up for a loved one more, or even a stranger you see being mistreated. And Peter Parker has reassured me that by doing the right thing, it is worth it - it is worth the struggle, it is worth the pain, it is worth even the tears, the bruises, and the blood." - Andrew Garfield

Even after the travesty that was Spider-Man 3, I was heartbroken when I heard that Sony had completely scrapped plans to produce a fourth (and fifth) Spider-Man film with actor Tobey Maguire and director Sam Raimi. I desperately wanted the pair to restore the series to its early greatness and build on the characters that I had grown to love. Yet, as news began to slowly develop of casting (Andrew Garfield is an inspired choice as Spider-Man, as is (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb) my excitement began to outweigh my disappointment. And now, following a great reaction to early footage at last year's Comic-Con, my anticipation is sky high. While The Amazing Spider-Man may be doomed to remain in the shadows of other 2012 superhero blockbusters, it has great potential to be my favorite film of the year. And I didn't even mention that Emma Stone is playing Gwen Stacy!
(July 3) 

#1 The Dark Knight Rises (dir. Christopher Nolan)
Come on - does this really need any explanation? 
(July 20)

No Strings Attached vs. Just Go With It (2011)

 

Can't decide which romantic comedy to take your girlfriend to this Valentine's Day? Hopefully this special Valentine's Day feature will settle the decision. 

Girls hate a man without a plan, especially on the most romantic day of the year. If you're going to take her on a night out to the movies, choose the movie; don't leave it up to her. Now don't be fooled, I didn't say take her to see The Mechanic, you still have to see something she will enjoy, but don't be afraid to make the decision for her. That means the decision is basically between two films - No Strings Attached and Just Go With It. If you're under 17, the decision ends here. No Strings Attached is rated R, so you'll have to see Just Go With It. However, if you're older than 17 (or don't mind sneaking in to a R-rated film), read on:

While both films are "romantic comedies," they have extremely different tones and will appeal to different women. No Strings Attached relies more on romance than comedy, and will appeal to older women in their twenties who can relate to balancing a job and a boyfriend. The film has its cute moments, and your girlfriend may be wishing you were more like Ashton Kutcher by the end of the film, but odds are she will love this one. Now, if watching a romantic comedy with Ashton Kutcher sounds like a prison sentence to you, just remember - Natalie Portman is in this film.

On the other hand, Just Go With It relies much more on comedy than romance. The old saying from the late 1990's "If you've seen one Adam Sandler movie, you've seen them all," still holds true some ten to fifteen years later. Yet, depending on whom you ask, this may not be such a bad thing. While not as romantic as No Strings Attached, this film will appeal to younger woman in their teens and men of all ages. If Adam Sandler is not your sense of humor, just remember - Brooklyn Decker is in this film. In a bikini.

Decision: While Adam Sandler's antics may appeal to men more than Ashton Kutcher's charm, No Strings Attached is a superior film. And hey, it is Valentine's Day, take her to see the film she will enjoy the most.

Winner: No Strings Attached

No Strings Attached (** 1/2)

Cast: Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, and Kevin Kline

Director: Ivan Reitman

MPAA: Rated R for sexual content, language and some drug material

Release Date: January 21, 2011

Just Go With It (**)

Cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Kidman, and Brooklyn Decker

Director: Dennis Dugan

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for frequent crude and sexual content, partial nudity, brief drug references and language

Release Date: February 11, 2011