![]() ![]() I say Hallström is a director-for-hire because thatï¿ 1/2(TM)s what it feels like at this stage in his career and with this type of project, but as one can tell from the manï¿ 1/2(TM)s past credits this is not a single-faceted filmmaker and thus there are some very cool, very classic choices in terms of style as not only does the film pay homage to large ballet productions, but to the golden-age of movie musicals as well. Without so much as breaking a sweat the film instinctively provides this necessary aura of Christmas warmth. The fact it clocked in at a brisk 90-minutes didnï¿ 1/2(TM)t hurt either.Īnd for the first half hour or so I was on board with what both the Mouse House and director-for-hire Lasse Hallström (Whatï¿ 1/2(TM)s Eating Gilbert Grape, The Cider House Rules) were doing and seemingly wanted to do. This, coupled with the fact it might be nice to get a break from what might have otherwise been another ï¿ 1/2live-actionï¿ 1/2Â? re-imagining of one of my childhood classics made for a fair amount of-I wonï¿ 1/2(TM)t say excitement, but eagerness on my part. You know, being fed classic literature through the guise of Walt Disneyï¿ 1/2(TM)s interpretation and being spared any gory or potentially upsetting details in favor of being sent home with a belly full of sentimental, if not substantial, satisfaction. If nothing else, I thought The Nutcracker and the Four Realms might make me feel like a kid again. Maybe it’ll play better on the couch with a warm blanket and a cup of cocoa.Not being overly familiar with the German story from which the famous ballet drew its inspiration I was completely game for this Disneyfied version of The Nutcracker story. The bad news is that it may just turn out that Winnie the Pooh (and Tigger too) is not the kind of character whom audiences consider worthy of theatrical attendance. ![]() ![]() The good news is that it’s Disney’s last release until The Nutcracker and the Four Realms on Nov. That was back when almost any old studio toon could expect to make a few bucks.Įxisting as just one family flick in the marketplace alongside Hotel Transylvania 3, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies, Incredibles 2 and Ant-Man and the Wasp, to say nothing of “safe for kids” stuff like Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Christopher Robin has an uphill battle. Anderson (the duo behind Meet the Robinsons, so you know it’s great) earned just $50 million worldwide on a $30m budget. The fully 2D animated flick directed by Don Hall and Stephen J. Walt Disney struck out with Winnie the Pooh back in 2011, a John Lasseter pet project that opened against Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part II. ![]() This movie was greeted with skepticism and derision upon announcement three years ago. Even as the trailers warmed the hearts of hardcore fans, the middling reviews did little to change the narrative.Ĭouple that with iffy overseas prospects (it won’t play in China, allegedly due to Winnie the Pooh’s passing resemblance to the current Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping), and this may be a merely okay start for Pooh and friends. IP doesn’t matter if audiences either don’t care about the IP or are unhappy with the results. But anytime the IP-driven flick performs worse (or not much better) than an original or relatively “new-to-you” sell (think Storks out grossing LEGO Ninjago), that should give us pause. Disney makes plenty of money off the Winnie the Power empire. To be fair, this was an (estimated) over/under $75 million-budgeted period-piece character drama with CGI characters in key supporting roles. That Christopher Robin, technically a live-action Winnie the Pooh movie, may (using the more pessimistic comparison) sell about as many tickets than Pete’s Dragon is not great. Christopher Robin had a more beloved IP but mixed-positive reviews (which surprised me, as I was… not a fan) even with an embargo that dropped after the movie had started its Thursday preview showings. That David Lowery-directed flick had the disadvantage of lesser-known/lesser-loved IP but the advantage of rave pre-release reviews (it’s the best of these Walt Disney live-action fairy tale flicks by a mile). Pete’s Dragon, another low-key live-action fairy tale flick that opened in early August, earned $6.9 million on Friday and $21.5m over its opening weekend. ![]()
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