What Movie Taught Hollywood the Biggest Lesson in 2009

[MadVillainy]

Stole this from IMDB, I thought it was an interesting poll

http://www.imdb.com/poll/

 

[dark_b]

UP and maybe D9?

 

[Aesop Rocks]

Probably Paranormal Activity.

Lesson: "Word of mouth is your savior".

 

[A&W]

Honestly Cameron taught us that 3d movies can be successful and that it doesn't have to be a reboot, remake, adoption, or a sequel to be a success. It can be an original idea, even though it's really the classic tale of a person falling in love with another culture with a new original twist on it.

 

[terry78]

I think Avatar's lesson is that a blockbuster doesn't have to be based on a previous property to earn a massive box office.

 

[CelticPredator]

BloodRayne. Uwe should stop his crap.

 

[spider-neil]

avatar - original properties can make money

 

[WarBlade]

District 9 had many lessons to teach... And being able to make an effective sci fi movie on a low budget wasn't foremost among them.

Probably Paranormal Activity.

Lesson: "Word of mouth is your savior".

Shouldn't that be "Word of mouth will make or break you, not matter what the advertising says"?

 

[8wid]

Avatar should send a message to the suits in Hollywood to give a little more financial leverage to let artists have much more creative freedom to pursue their visions too.

 

[Sam]

Studios that use Avatar to take the lesson "Avatar: You have to spend money to make money" are doomed.

This is the wrong lessom to take from Avatar.

 

[xwolverine2]

edit

 

[xwolverine2]

Precious only generated buzz because of Oprah... she commands all.

and i think hollywood already knew you have to spend money to make money.... its movies like D9, paranormal activity, the blind side, and the hangover that proved that wrong.

 

[xwolverine2]

Honestly Cameron taught us that 3d movies can be successful and that it doesn't have to be a reboot, remake, adoption, or a sequel to be a success. It can be an original idea, even though it's really the classic tale of a person falling in love with another culture with a new original twist on it.

UP was 3d.

 

[dark_b]

Avatar should send a message to the suits in Hollywood to give a little more financial leverage to let artists have much more creative freedom to pursue their visions too.

why should hollywood give a director 200 millions if they dont know if they can make a profit?

 

[spider-neil]

big lessons

D9 - don't spray alien fuel into your face

Star trek - if you land on an alien planet, the chances of you finding the person you are looking for (despite the vast size of the planet) are very high indeed

TF2: you don't need a plot to make a movie

TS: if you want bale to sound different from batman you're probably out of luck

twilight: in the world of twilight warewolves are cute and cuddly

 

[X-Ray]

Terminator Salvation : You should really stop after 3 or keep the cameras rolling when a actor goes into a rant.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine: In a last ditch effort to avoid a huge plot hole in a franchise. Use a magic bullet that erases memories.

 

[spider-neil]

Terminator Salvation : You should really stop after 3 or keep the cameras rolling when a actor goes into a rant.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine: When stuck with a plot hole to explain why such and such don't remember one another in a movie that takes place several years down the road. Use a magic bullet that erases your memory.

wolverine: when examining your claws in the mirror turn down the lights so fake claws aren't so obvious

 

[Kurosawa]

Avatar, easily. All big effects movies will be 3D soon or will be considered lacking.

 

[Sam]

Terminator Salvation : You should really stop after 3 or keep the cameras rolling when a actor goes into a rant.

They should have stoped after 2. Third one is an awful, AWFUL movie.

Even Terminator Salvation is batter than Terminator 3. At least for that it was worth.

 

[Nightmare]

Terminator Salvation : You should really stop after 3 or keep the cameras rolling when a actor goes into a rant.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine: In a last ditch effort to avoid a huge plot hole in a franchise. Use a magic bullet that erases memories.

 

[spider-neil]

TF2: even ghetto transformers couldnt stop this juggernaught of a franchise

 

[SapphirePrima]

Ewwwwwwww Ice Age 3 really made that much? :

 

[DACrowe]

District 9 taught the biggest lesson that as loong as you have a good story, acting and visuals, the fact that it isn't a $500 million 3D epic doesn't mean you won't make money. Too many lower budget efforts end up like schlocky insults such as Resident Evil, Ultraviolet, Underworld, etc. If you have a really good story and it looks like it was made by someone with talent, you'll still have a surprise hit.

Then Avatar. Sure, TF2 made a ton of money and was a huge hit for 2009, but it was a crappy movie that nobody really liked. Conversely, Avatar had a good story, pushed the boundaries of film and was an effort worth remembering, such as (the superior) Dark Knight of last year. Instead of just doing well for an annual gross, it becomes one of the biggest hits of the decade. Possibly the biggest. Quality mattered. It also is going to change the way special effects are used in movies.

The rest aren't lessons learned:

The Hurt Locker was a huge critical darling and will likely clean up at the Oscars, it bombed at the box office.

Star Trek proved nothing but the proven rule that rebooting old franchises equals big money (Batman, James Bond, Sherlock Holmes).

Sherlock Holmes proved itself nothing new as it is no secret that star vehicles do well, considering that makes up most of Hollywood's films.

New Moon did not prove vampire fever is beginning (see Vampire's Assistant bombing as well as Transylmania). It proved that women are a strong box office target, especially tweens, and more than romantic comedies will satisfy them. Twilight is not a hit because it has vampires (very watered down vampires), it is a hit because it is a gothic romance, though badly written, given the same hype and budget as a superhero movie.

The Hangover was a raunchy R-rated comedy that was a hit. Like Wedding Crashers. Like Old School. Like Stripes. Like Caddyshack. Like Animal House. Like...

Inglourious Basterds just proved that you should not doubt Tarantino, as much of Hollywood did after the overly long Grindhouse bombed. But it changed no rules or preconceptions of how to do business.

Zombieland? It proved quirky comedies get quirky audiences who love 'em. That is an old rule and if you think zombies made a difference, wasn't Shaun of the Dead a hit? (it was on DVD at least).

 

[spider-neil]

X-Men Origins: Wolverine: In a last ditch effort to avoid a huge plot hole in a franchise. Use a magic bullet that erases memories.

wolverine: if the adamantium in wolvie's head is indestructible...and the bulliet is made out of adamantium, which is indestructible...


I can't think about it too hard or my brain will explode.

 

[X-Ray]

The Hurt Locker was a huge critical darling and will likely clean up at the Oscars, it bombed at the box office.

Limited release & a shortage of film prints for weeks to months will do that to you.