The Roundup with Jeff Stockton (Season 31 Round 1)

 

 

Season 31 is not off to a good start at the box office at all. Here's The Roundup....

3. N/A

2. Vindicators

I always respect it when a writer takes a big swing at the ball. Ellis didn't really connect all the way with Vindicators - and it was a box office trainwreck - but its a film that went down swinging.

1. Mark Wahlberg

It was good to see Mark Wahlberg back at work for the studio. It was his first film for LRF since Season 18's Cocaine Cowboys.

3. Duel

To me, Duel came off as unimaginative and safe - especially in the action department. Rather than focusing on the scene at hand, I found myself imagining how much bigger and better it could have been done with today's stunt technology. It was a missed opportunity.

2. Anarchy

There was probably a story in there somewhere worth telling, but this was not the version. Dominic Sessa's main character has no driving force - no goal, no motivation. A rewrite where he's the villain and Rob Reiner's vice principal is the protagonist would probably be the best bet. A story where the main character doesn't work though, generally is not going to work itself, and Anarchy is evidence of that.

1. Profits

I cannot think of a worse opening round financially in LRF history. All three films flopped, adding up to a loss of nearly $120 million in just one round.