Boom, Bust, or Meh: October 2016 – Geeks Under Grace

Hello, GUG fans and welcome to the October edition of Boom, Bust, or Meh as we embrace the Autumn season, or to film fanatics, Oscar season!  To the newbs reading this article, BBoM is a monthly article series that is dedicated to predicting five films each month, from playful animations to sophisticated dramas. As with every BBoM article, each film receives one of the following scores:

Boom: A film that could be Oscar worthy.

Bust: A film that is simply entertaining. 

Meh: A film that definitely deserves a Razzie.

With that short introduction, let us rack up the prediction for 2016’s October films!

The Results

Before we get to our film predictions, let us take a look at the outcome of our September predictions!

1. Sully – BOOM!

Rotten Tomatoes

Critic Score: 83%

Audience Score: 89%

Box Office

Production Budget: $60 million

Worldwide: $101 million

Trey: Great trailer, great cast, great story. Tom Hanks, you’ve done it again!

2. The Magnificent Seven – Meh…

Rotten Tomatoes

Critic Score: 61%

Audience Score: 79%

Box Office

Production Budget: $90 million

Worldwide: $58 millon

Trey: Certainly enjoyable, but falls just short of reaching a “BOOM!”

Our Review!

3. Storks – Meh…

Rotten Tomatoes

Critic Score: 65%

Audience Score: 73%

Box Office Production

Budget:$70 million

Domestic: $42 million

Trey: Was honestly better than I expected, but still falls short. 

4. The Wild Life – Bust.

Rotten Tomatoes

Critic Score: 13%

Audience Score: 30%

Box Office

Production Budget: $13 million

Worldwide: $28 million

Trey: The film was lucky to double what it made. Other than that, nothing to see here. 

Our Review!

5. Snowden – Meh…

Rotten Tomatoes

Critic Score: 61%

Audience Score: 75%

Box Office Production

Budget: $40 million

Worldwide: $10 million

Trey: While it is a “Meh” it is the good kind, where one still should see it.

Each “Boom, Bust, or Meh” article will include each writer’s current record next to their name. My current record is (28-24) and Jonathan is at (5-3). 

Inferno

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: October 28, 2016

Synopsis: Famous symbologist Robert Langdon follows a trail of clues tied to the great medieval poet Dante himself. When Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks, a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories. Together, they race across Europe and against the clock to foil a deadly global plot (Google).

Director: Ron Howard

Starring: Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Irrfan Khan, Omar Sy, Sidse Babett Knudsen

The Prediction

Trey Soto (28-24): Bust. – While I somewhat enjoyed the Da Vinci Code (2006) and was confused when watching Angels and Demons (2009), I am not sold on the idea of a third film. The past sequels have performed poorly by critics and audiences alike let alone in the box office. Unless there is a twist, we already know to expect based on the past films let alone the trailer that gave a large amount of the plot away in less than three minutes. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Jonathan Tefft (5-3): Meh… – I have almost zero interest in Inferno. Which is weird for me to say since there isn’t anything that sticks out to me as really bad. It’s got a good cast with Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones as well as a good director with Ron Howard. These are elements that should make me excited to see it, but after the trailer it all feels mediocre. I guess the trailer is the biggest problem. I feel like it spoiled the whole movie and left nothing for me to discover on my own. I do think that the star power is enough to make some people go see it but besides that I don’t see this movie being a big success at the box office or with critics.

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life

Rating: PG

Release Date: October 7, 2016

Synopsis: Based off the novel by James Patterson, Imaginative and quiet teenager Rafe Katchadorian is tired of his middle school’s obsession with the rules at the expense of any and all creativity. Desperate to shake things up, Rafe and his best friends have come up with a plan: break every single rule in the school and let the students run wild (IMDb). 

Director: Steve Carr

Starring: Lauren Graham, Griffen Gluck, Isabela Moner, Thomas Barbusca, Adam Pelly

The Prediction

Trey Soto (28-24): Meh. – Seems funny, but I have many doubts. We have seen films like this before where a child’s diary or story is produced as a film only to result in average reviews. Example: The Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010). Fun read, but disastrous as a film. I do not really expect any difference with this one. 

Jonathan Tefft (5-3): Meh… – The only thing that gets this one up to meh for me is the fact that there aren’t any other family movies to see in October. There is a part of this movie that looks like it could be charming and fun, but I think in the end it will turn out to be just another forgettable and mostly unfunny family movie. I do not see the critics enjoying this one, and the only way it will get its money back is if families are just dying to see a movie next month.

Keeping Up With the Joneses

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: October 21, 2016

Synopsis: A suburban couple becomes embroiled in an international espionage plot when they discover that their seemingly perfect new neighbors are government spies (Rotten Tomatoes). 

Director: Gregg Mottola

Starring: Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher, Gal Gadot, Jon Hamm, Matt Walsh

The Predictions

Trey Soto (28-24): Meh… – It certainly appears to be funny along with an interesting cast,but the way comedies have been lately, I am not expecting much from this one to be honest, especially with Zach Galifianakis’ latest performance in Masterminds (2016). This being said, director Greg Mottola has done pretty well in past comedies so it is honestly hard to say how this film will turn out. I honestly will give it the benefit of the doubt. 

Jonathan Tefft (5-3): Meh… – I’m very on the fence about this. The premise looks fun, and the trailer had me laughing out loud at many moments but cringing at others. Zach Galifianakis can be hilarious, and I’m curious to see if Gal Gadot can do comedy. This movie could be a sleeper hit but for me. There’s not quite enough here to guarantee a great comedy.

The Girl on the Train

Rating: R

Release Date: October 7, 2016

Synopsis: Based on the novel by Paula Hawkins, Rachel, devastated by her recent divorce, spends her daily commute fantasizing about the seemingly perfect couple who live in a house that her train passes every day, until one morning she sees something shocking happen there and becomes entangled in the mystery that unfolds.

Director: Tate Taylor

Starring: Emily Blunt, Lisa Kudrow, Justin Theroux, Allison Janney, Laura Prepon, Edgar Ramirez

The Prediction

Trey Soto (28-24): BOOM! – Being a fan of the book, I can honestly say that this is one of the primary films I am looking forward to, and I think could be an Oscar nominee. It’s certainly a great story with an interesting cast. I predict that this will perform well and will pay tribute to the book. My only concerns is how they will tell the story considering that the book is first person, that it is about two different points of view, and is taking place in New York instead of London. One way to find out!

Jonathan Tefft (5-3): Meh… – I’ve seen critics be very excited to see this and think it could get an Oscar nomination, but I’ve also seen critics bash it and say it will bomb. I think from the trailer it looks interesting enough to not bomb, but it won’t boom because of the steep competition it’s up against. The Birth of a Nation is opening the same week and has had a lot of hype from critics who have already seen it. I personally would rather see The Birth of a Nation over The Girl on the Train.

 The Accountant

Rating: R

Release Date: October 14, 2016

Synopsis: Christian Wolff is a math savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Behind the cover of a small-town CPA office, he works as a freelance accountant for some of the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations. With the Treasury Department’s Crime Enforcement Division, run by Ray King, starting to close in, Christian takes on a legitimate client: a state-of-the-art robotics company where an accounting clerk has discovered a discrepancy involving millions of dollars. But as Christian uncooks the books and gets closer to the truth, it is the body count that starts to rise (Rotten Tomatoes). 

Director: Gavin O’ Connor

Starring: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, John Lithgow, Jean Smart

The Predictions

Trey Soto (28-24): BOOM! – Upon the watch of the first trailer, I was immediately sold. Great story, very diverse choice of actors, The Accountant certainly comes off as suspenseful to the point where you really want to know what happens. This could certainly be an possible nominee for Mr. Affleck let alone for the film itself. A couple of friends of mine were able to see months in advance and say that it is a must-see.

Jonathan Tefft (5-3): BOOM! – The cast alone gets me excited to see The Accountant. Ben Affleck looks like he’s giving another great performance that could possibly win him an Oscar. Anna Kendrick also looks amazing, and J. K. Simmons is always great. On top of all that the plot looks thrilling and will hold my attention through to the end. I’ve constantly heard critics rave over how excited they are to see it, and I hope the box office reflects that.

Thanks for reading this month’s edition! Let us know your predictions in the comment section. Join us next month for another edition of “Boom, Bust, or Meh!”

Are you looking forward to any of these films? What are you predictions? What film are you looking forward to most in October?

The post Boom, Bust, or Meh: October 2016 – Geeks Under Grace appeared first on Geeks Under Grace.