Guardians of the Galaxy

[Khev]

I wonder where TMNT is going to end up on that list.

It has talking turtles and rats so clearly it's guaranteed to make a billion or two.

 

[pturtle]

It has talking turtles and rats so clearly it's guaranteed to make a billion or two.

I bet is still makes big money, and imagine if the reviews were as positive as GOTG?

 

[Khev]

I was just messing with you.

 

[RIDDICK]

It has creepy racially offensive talking turtles and rats dancing and farting...
Clearly it's guaranteed to make a billion or two.

Fixed.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

TMNT isn't doing well in the reviews. But that didn't stop Transformers. If it's the right kind of dumb it may do well at the Box Office

 

[pturtle]

I was just messing with you.

Ah, my bad

 

[Khev]

Watch TMNT blow everyone else away and really make a billion.

 

[RIDDICK]

I'm amazed by how much people care about producers... God bless yall!

 

[karamazov80]

I think most of us would agree that GOTG is faring better than many expected, most likely including those at Marvel. But personally, I don't call something a sleeper success unless it's relatively small to begin with, and as pointed out, Marvel threw their whole marketing machine at this one with commercials, product tie-ins, etc. I can't tell you how many junk e-mails I've received from Sideshow and Go Hastings hocking their GOTG stuff over the last few weeks. Maybe they still expected only a modest return on that investment, but I think they were really shooting for what we're seeing here. So it's not like, say, Brick or Memento, which are these little indie movies that somehow make exponentially more than they cost to make.

 

[The Ween]

It's 5 day total has surpassed Winter Soldier's. I'll be curious to see next week's totals.

 

[Khev]

I think most of us would agree that GOTG is faring better than many expected, most likely including those at Marvel. But personally, I don't call something a sleeper success unless it's relatively small to begin with, and as pointed out, Marvel threw their whole marketing machine at this one with commercials, product tie-ins, etc. I can't tell you how many junk e-mails I've received from Sideshow and Go Hastings hocking their GOTG stuff over the last few weeks. Maybe they still expected only a modest return on that investment, but I think they were really shooting for what we're seeing here. So it's not like, say, Brick or Memento, which are these little indie movies that somehow make exponentially more than they cost to make.

No, GOTG is not an indie film that no one has ever heard of but I distinctly remember Ghost, The Bodyguard and The Sixth Sense being widely regarded as sleeper hits in 1990, 1992 and 1999 respectively and those movies were marketed to a wide audience leading up to their releases. While GOTG might not be a Memento or Snowpiercer it definitely appears to be on course to follow in the tradition of the other films I mentioned.

 

[Josette]

I also think another comparison could be Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. I remember people being pretty blinded sided when it came out, even though it was a big Disney adventure movie. No one knew what to expect of it and were skeptical about it. I think it was thought of as a surprise hit of that summer.

Although the marketing wasn't as strong for it as GOTG. Marvel really marketed this movie well, and they also have strong brand trust right now.

 

[DiFabio]

Man, you guys analyze too much.

It's getting great reviews and making dough, people love it. Nuff said.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Saw it last night and thought it was good. Like a few people here, I was expecting a little more from it, based on the incredibly high praise it's been getting. It wasn't bad at all, but I don't think it lived up to the hype like I felt WS and DOFP did. It was enjoyable, and I liked the characters and the friendship they developed. I thought Rocket was the best thing in the movie. I would watch it again just for him. I actually thought he sounded like Bruce Willis (who coincidentally has also voiced a raccoon)! I thought Ronan was a little bland and I didn't like how he was played, even though I think Lee Pace is great (love him from Wonderfalls and Pushing Daisies). And yeah, the dance-off was cringe-worthy, although I liked how he "took it back" from Gamora.

I don't see the comparisons between this and SW other than they're both in space. I don't think Quill is like Han--I think Rocket is more like Han but that would be about as far as I can stretch the comparison. I see this closer to Firefly/Serenity. I totally got the Serenity vibe when they were on Knowwhere--very similar to in Serenity when they dock and River is activated by the commercial in the bar.

Anyway I did like it and thought it was good, just not as good as it's being hyped. It's among the better Marvel movies, but there are still plenty above them on my list, including WS.

 

[karamazov80]

No, GOTG is not an indie film that no one has ever heard of but I distinctly remember Ghost, The Bodyguard and The Sixth Sense being widely regarded as sleeper hits in 1990, 1992 and 1999 respectively and those movies were marketed to a wide audience leading up to their releases. While GOTG might not be a Memento or Snowpiercer it definitely appears to be on course to follow in the tradition of the other films I mentioned.

I think those other movies are more in line with what I'm thinking about. I picked a random one out--Sixth Sense--and it cost $40 million to make, and grossed over $650 million. Though I'm sure it was promoted, I doubt it would be on the order of what GOTG got. But let's say they spent $20 million marketing it (half the production costs). That would mean it made over 10 times what was invested. That suggests it was a sleeper hit to me. GOTG cost $170 million to make, again if you assume half production is used for marketing, that's around $250 million upfront. Even if it makes $700 million, that's not even 3 times the investment. So, is its success a surprise, matching what Captain America did in its first week? Sure. Sleeper? Eh, not to me, but like I said it's a semantic issue.

 

[pturtle]

Saw it last night and thought it was good. Like a few people here, I was expecting a little more from it, based on the incredibly high praise it's been getting. It wasn't bad at all, but I don't think it lived up to the hype like I felt WS and DOFP did. It was enjoyable, and I liked the characters and the friendship they developed. I thought Rocket was the best thing in the movie. I would watch it again just for him. I actually thought he sounded like Bruce Willis (who coincidentally has also voiced a raccoon)! I thought Ronan was a little bland and I didn't like how he was played, even though I think Lee Pace is great (love him from Wonderfalls and Pushing Daisies). And yeah, the dance-off was cringe-worthy, although I liked how he "took it back" from Gamora.

I don't see the comparisons between this and SW other than they're both in space. I don't think Quill is like Han--I think Rocket is more like Han but that would be about as far as I can stretch the comparison. I see this closer to Firefly/Serenity. I totally got the Serenity vibe when they were on Knowwhere--very similar to in Serenity when they dock and River is activated by the commercial in the bar.

Anyway I did like it and thought it was good, just not as good as it's being hyped. It's among the better Marvel movies, but there are still plenty above them on my list, including WS.

Pretty much sums up how I feel, but this seems like the kind of movie where every time I watch it my opinion will change.

 

[Adolfo]

Man, you guys analyze too much.

It's getting great reviews and making dough, people love it. Nuff said.

Jesus look who's talkin!...but youre right

 

[GasparZizou]

Ronan was bland as hell that's right, even despite that, I loved the movie.

This trend of bland villains (with exception of Pierce) I don't like at all.

The "Mandarin", Malekith, Ronan.... No bueno.

 

[YoNoSe]

I would say GOTG is more like a movie from a popular trend doing well, but better than expected. Like a really well received John Hughes movie. As opposed to a guaranteed smash, like a Steven Spielberg movie.

 

[thedopefreshness]

Ronan was bland as hell that's right, even despite that, I loved the movie.

This trend of bland villains (with exception of Pierce) I don't like at all.

The "Mandarin", Malekith, Ronan.... No bueno.

They're dumbing 'em down to make Thanos look better.