411 Fact or Fiction Movies 06.23.06: Week 36

Posted by Matthew Craggs on 06.23.2006

George H. Sirois and Ben Moser talk Click, Sopranos, car movies and Phillip Seymour Hoffman in week 36 of Fact or Fiction.

It is my sad duty to inform you that Little Timmy O'Sullivan has abandoned his loyal Fact or Fiction readers for two weeks. Something about contributing Word Cup pieces to the Sports Zone and trying to maintain a social life. We know the World Cup writing is true, but claims of a social life are obviously exaggerated. Today and next Friday I will be hosting your favorite 411 feature.

This week we have reliable George H. Sirois. He is the man behind the long running and wildly popular Scene Anatomy 101. He has also written a book. I can say, without hesitation, that Sirois is good people.

Joining him will be Ben Moser. Moser is a 411 rookie who gives you, loyal reader, his wildly entertaining Doctor in the Hallway news report for free! What a nice guy. His latest edition includes a Snakes on a Plane countdown. Who knows what crazy stuff is going to happen when it goes off.

Now let's get it on:

1. Click is going to bomb.

Sirois: FICTION. Just because it doesn't look great doesn't mean it's not gonna make money. It's still Adam Sandler in his Wedding Singer / 50 First Dates element, and there's the not-so-secret weapon of Walken. It's got enough juice to get a number-one spot on the charts, but it's doubtful that it has enough in it to keep it on top for very long. Then again, stranger things have happened, as the next question proves.

Moser: FICTION. For whatever reason, Sandler has a strong enough following that this one can do well. I agree that it could even pull the #1 spot for its opening weekend, and then be a strong second choice for people who go to theaters that have sold out of Superman Returns seats. It's not going to set the world on fire, and Sandler's biggest box office days are probably behind him - but this will see at least marginal success.

Score: 1 for 1

2. The relative success of Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, bringing in almost $25 million opening weekend, is a surprise for the lagging film franchise.

Sirois: FICTION. The success of this franchise stopped surprising me when the first film made back all of its money and then some on its opening weekend. I'm not a fan of the Fast & Furious at all; hell, I don't even like driving, period. But what can I say? The kids love this shit. (Damn, I feel old.)

Moser: FICTION. I remember watching the Little League World Series one year and the answer any time you asked one of those kids what their favorite movie was came out "2 Fast 2 Furious". Look at any pre teen boy's video game collection. At least 3 street racing games are in there, I promise you. This franchise probably has two more money-making critically panned installments before it goes direct-to-video.

3. The AFI recently named It's A Wonderful Life number one on its list of most inspiring movies of all time, over To Kill a Mockingbird, Schindler's List, Rocky and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. It was the right choice.

Sirois: FACT But the same case can be made about all five of these films. Move the order anyway you want, you're still gonna get something truly inspiring in its own special way. As for It's a Wonderful Life, how could you not feel inspired to live your life to the fullest after seeing it? It's Stewart & Capra at their best, but then again, so is Mr. Smith.

Moser: FICTION. Living your life to its fullest, standing up for what's right, and all that jazz are great themes for movies and all; but nothing is as inspirational as a good sports movie. I don't know why, its just true. Not only would I put Rocky at the top of this list, but I'd probably round out at least the top ten with blatantly manipulative sports movies from Hoosiers to Rudy and all things in between and beyond. Sports movies can inspire you without first reminding you of how awful the world around you can be first.

Score: 2 for 3

Will Smith says, "SWITCH."

4. The success of Cars is a surprise considering its lack of buzz compared to previous Pixar films.

Moser: FICTION. There might not have been a buzz about it with the grown ups, but let's not forget who this movie is aimed at. Kids will want to watch kid movies. Parents will take their kids to the flick because it's got the "Pixar" name attached to it, and it has delivered before. When playing to kids, you don't need a buzz, you just need to get the name out of there. That's been done-and-a-half. Cross-promotion has Cars all over the place. As a matter of fact, some quick interweb research reveals that Cars has over 70 licensees and more than 350 product tie-ins. Get that name out there and the kids will follow.

Sirois: FICTION. Moser hit it right on the head. It's a Pixar movie, and it's actually a stroke of genius for them to come out with Cars at this time. Parents and kids had to put up with Chicken Little, The Wild, and even freakin' Doogal! Now, after all that, Pixar comes out and shows Disney how to do 3-D right, and everyone's lining up around the block to enjoy the closest thing to a can't-miss in this market.

Score: 3 for 4

5. The cast members of The Sopranos, who are demanding over double their salary for the final half season, are being greedy and opportunistic.

Moser: FACT. This isn't anything new, though. Friends and Seinfeld both held seasons for ransom, if I recall correctly. If you ask them, they'll tell you all about how much money the show is making in syndication and assure you that they're just asking for their slice of that pie. But come on, double the salary? I know Sporanos fans, and there would be rioting in the streets if the show suffered because of this. HBO knows it. The cast knows that HBO knows it. I wonder if anyone is seeing to it that the sound guy on the set gets a nice raise, too.

Sirois: FICTION. HBO's known for being tight-asses when it comes to paying their talent, so the Sopranos cast isn't quite in the same income bracket as the casts of Friends and Seinfeld. Considering how much HBO has been bringing in on DVD box sets for all their series – especially considering how much that success is owed to The Sopranos – they should give their actors what they deserve for their big send-off. Besides, the show's quality's already suffered with this past season; I've never seen one season start off so well and nose-dive so quickly. So Gandolfini & Co. might as well take what they can get.

Score: 3 for 5

6. Philip Seymour Hoffman signing on to star in pictures by Mike Nichols and Sidney Lumet is a good sign that Hoffman will not suffer from Oscar Hangover (his career taking a dive after a big Oscar win, see Halle Barry).

Moser: FACT. But were you really that worried? The best sign that PS Hoffman wasn't going to suffer from the Oscar Hangover is that he's Philip Seymour F'n Hoffman. Even the big Hollywood picture he's signed on for has film critic darlings Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts in it. He's always picked good roles for himself, if not always good movies. You're just not going to see Hoffman involved in anything close to the abortion Catwoman was.

Sirois: FACT. There was never a doubt in my mind that Hoffman would continue to be the man after winning his well-deserved Oscar. He's in the position now where he can do whatever the hell strikes his fancy, and it's pretty clear that he's out to raise the bar for everyone else in the industry by showing how easy it is to avoid the Hangover. And thank God that Hoffman won't be in something like Catwoman. It'd just be way too weird to see him in that outfit.

Score: 4 for 6

Thanks a bunch, guys. Make sure to check back next week for more Fact or Fiction.