CinemaNerdz

The Preview Reel: Ellen v The Rock

Scott Davis
The Preview Reel

Welcome to another “Preview Reel” column. where we look at the week’s upcoming wide release movies. Originality is something that this summer has seen very little of, as all ten movies in the top ten box office this past weekend consisted of sequels, reboots, or adaptations. This week does feature an original film in the Kevin Hart/Dwayne Johnson vehicle Central Intelligence, but all eyes are on yet another sequel, or we should say sea-quel, with the release of Pixar’s Finding Dory. Here’s a preview of what to expect.

 

Finding Dory

What we are excited about:
Simply put, Pixar is the most reliable studio out there right now. They have been able to crank instant classic after instant classic with Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Up, and last year’s Inside Out. Their sequels (or prequels in Monsters University’s case) have a mixed bag, as Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 are considered masterpieces in animated filmmaking, while Cars 2 does not have that same praise. A sequel to one of their most beloved movies is risky, but bringing back Finding Nemo director Andrew Stanton and returning a majority of the cast (including the amazing Ellen DeGeneres), there is no reason to believe Pixar cannot continue with its winning ways.

What we are worried about:
Cars 2 was a misfire because it took an amusing side character from the first installment, Mater, and made him front and center with his own story. The result turned out to be slightly annoying, and while Dory is a much better character than Mater, there should still be some concern over giving Dory her own movie. While the trailers have been solid, they do not seem to be on the same level as Nemo, which is another concern. Finding Nemo is one of the most beloved animated movies of all time, can a sequel really live up that standing? We’ll see.

Critical reception (if any):
Finding Dory has been getting very good reviews as it sits at 94% on RottenTomatoes and 77 on MetaCritic. While those are a step down from Nemo (that has a 99% on RottenTomatoes and 90 on MetaCritic), critics are saying this a worthy sequel that is not only entertaining, but emotionally satisfying as well.

Box office expectations:
Finding Nemo opened to $70.3 million back in May of 2003, and went on to gross $936.7 million worldwide. In those thirteen years, the film has remained a landmark in Pixar’s vast achievements and fans have been hungry for a sequel. This is one of the most anticipated movies of the year and should have one of the year’s biggest openings, Finding Dory should be able to find anywhere from $110-120 million on its opening weekend.

Final thoughts:
Pixar has the strongest studio resume over the past twenty years, and that includes producing high quality sequels (most of the time). Reviews indicate that they have another hit on their hands that the whole family can enjoy.

Central Intelligence

What we are excited about:
The idea of putting the Rock and Kevin Hart in an action comedy is genius. The Rock has been a part of some of the more entertaining movies the past couple of years and Kevin Hart has always proven to be a funny man. Those two headlining a movie could prove to be a fun comedy this summer needs.

What we are worried about:
The trailers have been hit or miss to say the least. They seem to put the Rock in awkward situations (the brief clip of a fat Dwayne Johnson singing is enough to give us nightmares) and then a lot of Kevin Hart yelling. Hart’s filmography has not been all that impressive, especially given how funny his stand-up has been. Let’s just hope the chemistry between the Rock and Kevin Hart is funny enough to make us forget about the mediocre trailers.

Critical reception (if any):
There have been no reviews published as of yet, which is a little concerning for a comedy. Granted, last time we wrote that, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping turned out to be a critical hit, so this could turn out to be a good thing.

Box office expectations:
Finding Dory should dominate this weekend, but Central Intelligence is aiming for a completely different demographic. It should play well for those who feel that they are too old for a Pixar movie (which I’m not sure if those people exist). Look for an opening around $25 million.

Final thoughts:
A Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart movie sounds like the perfect action comedy, and while the trailers have been subpar for Central Intelligence, it could still be a decent summer comedy.

Scott Davis

Scott Davis is a recent graduate of Oakland University where he earned a degree in journalism. He worked for the student newspaper on campus, The Oakland Post, where he became the paper's managing editor. He also earned a minor in Cinema Studies at OU. Scott enjoys all things film and TV related, especially the blockbuster kind. He might be the biggest Christopher Nolan fan you know.
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