DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Box Office Battle
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©Paranormal Activity 4

I don’t do scary movies.
I’m spiritually hypersensitive and retain every image, so I gave them up years ago.

But according to the $576 million worldwide box office haul of Paranormal Activity‘s horror film franchise, I might be the only one.

Apparently, folks love these films. The very first one is “the most profitable film ever made, based on return on investment”. The original writer/director filmed the first movie for $11,000 with 2 unknown actors over a few days. Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks/ Paramount bought the U.S. rights for only $350,000, a good pay day for the writer, right? Well, Paramount released it and made $108 million in the U.S. and $198 million worldwide. Yeah…

The 4th installment of the franchise opened last night, just in time for the Halloween season, but, by now, the film is getting real lackluster critic reviews.

Do we even listen to film critics these days?

Even with critics calling the 4th film “the same old, same old” simply “riding on the coattails of its predecessors”, (Isn’t that the point?!), this haunted house is still poised to bring in $35-40 million, topping the domestic box office.

Well, not if a Madea-less Tyler Perry has anything to do with it.

Perry, named as Forbes 2011 highest paid man in entertainment with $130 million earnings, is attempting to crossover as a mainstream actor with the rebooted Alex Cross franchise, first popularized by Morgan Freeman in the 1990s. Perry is best known for his self-produced/directed/written/acted films and plays, largely centered around his character Madea. Though his films without Madea haven’t done as well, Perry is banking on his core Madea audience showing up for Alex Cross to take on Paranormal.

Here’s the problem:
Just like Paranormal Activity 4, critics have slammed Alex Cross too. But, Perry is no stranger to negative critic reviews. After his very first movie was slammed, he never pre-screened another film for critics. The only reason Alex Cross has been pre-screened to critics is because Perry did not produce it. He’s just acting this time.

But is it a problem?

Even with most critics slamming Perry’s work over and over as elementary film-making, he’s still managed to amass a core audience over the last decade who helped him earn $1/2 billion over the years and snag the Alex Cross role that many trained actors would’ve given an arm and leg to portray. The fact that Perry can consistently bring $15-25 million worth of tickets in the first weekend box office ensures that investors get their money back and is what really matters to Hollywood.

So, how do you decide?

How do you choose which films to fork over $15/ticket these days?
In the box office battle, how do you decide a winner?

How do we make decisions about any entertainment we consume?
Seems mostly like it’s based on preferences, upbringing and what we moves us, makes us laugh, makes us cry, right?

I make most of my decisions based on artistic value and preference. Also, I take into account a real desire not to cause any brother or sister to stumble in their faith.
I Corinthians 10:31-33
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

That’s important to me.
And I actually read the critic reviews.
Most of the time, they are dead on in terms of what makes a great film, artistically speaking. They aren’t going to praise robots beating each other up in Transformers, but they’ll recognize the cinematic value of say a The Dark Knight Rises.

Besides, $15 – 20 (IMAX) per ticket is where our voting power lies. It’s how we tell Hollywood what to keep making and what to give up.

So, whether you listen to the critics or not, know that your dollar is voting one way or another in the box office battle. When you don’t pay, that says something. When you do, that says something.

May the best film win!
Naima

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