Screen Junkies » Hop

Weekend Box Office Report: Another Damn CGI Bird Movie

Joseph Gibson — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:50:29 +0000

American parents are desperate for something, anything, to shut their kids up for a couple hours. And Fox’s animation studio Blue Sky Studios, knows just the thing – talking CGI animals! So it probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that their latest soon-to-be-forgotten product, Rio, easily cinched the first place spot over the weekend with $40 million. For those not keeping track, that makes it the highest-grossing movie so far this year. I guess this means a sequel, Rio 2: Lost in Rio is inevitable.

The rest of the weekend slate didn’t do as well, with Scream 4, the 4th entry in the increasingly-pointless Scream series, making just under $20 million for second place. The rest of the top spots were filled by old favorites like Hop and Arthur, with the exception of The Conspirator in 9th place with a $3.9 million gross. Perhaps if Robert Redford had made The Conspirator a CGI kids’ comedy about Abraham Toucan getting shot in the head by John Wilkes Orangutan, it would be a different story. (Box Office Mojo)

Weekend Box Office: Russell Brand Is Supernova Hot

Joseph Gibson — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:00:25 +0000

That’s right, America – the demigod from the UK known as Russell Brand has finally “hit it big,” with both the number one and number two movies in America featuring his tricky-to-spell name on the poster. Of course, he picked a couple of pretty mediocre earners with which to earn this badge of honor, with the badly-reviewed comedy remake Arthur and the badly-reviewed comedy Easter CGI rabbit movie Hop. And I don’t just mean the reviews are mediocre: the films earned only $12.6 million and $21.6 million, respectively. No, you’re not misreading that. Plus,Hop has been the number one movie for two weekends in a row. Maybe it will keep plugging along until Easter.

Rounding out the weekend was the pretty excellent Hanna, which managed third place with $12.3 million, and Soul Surfer, the inspirational sports version of Jaws, in fourth place with $11.1 million. I’ve said it for years: If you want to make bank at the box office, you’ve got to have more than one person getting eaten by a shark. (Box Office Mojo)

Weekend Box Office Report: It’s ‘Hop’ Time In America

Joseph Gibson — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:53:20 +0000

If you want to make bank in the movie industry, remember: Seasonally appropriate blends of computer animation and idiotic live action almost never fail. Even if it’s a relatively restrained holiday like Easter, there’s no reason you can’t capitalize and prosper, like the makers of this weekend’s number one earner, Hop, did. And it wasn’t even close – Hop made $38.1 million to put it strongly ahead of the 2nd place film, the $15 million dollar earner Source Code. Taking up 3rd is Insidious, with a weekend gross of $13.5 million.

Kind of depressing that a tossed-off future “did that really exist?” movie like Hop, starring a candy-shitting rabbit voiced by Russell Brand, would do so well in a weekend with two decently reviewed genre movies like the scifi thriller Source Code and the haunted house movie Insidious, but oh well. Now, to begin working on the next draft of my screenplay, April’s Fool, about a CGI wacky fish who teaches an absentee father played by Ashton Kutcher the true meaning of April Fool’s Day. (via Box Office Mojo)

‘Hop’ Poops Out New Trailer Along With Jelly Beans

Geoffrey Golden — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 03:23:16 +0000

Anyone else see this formula as a standard template for many CG animated movies?

Everybody knows that Easter Bunnies are supposed to deliver candy, but what if one Easter Bunny… played in a rock band?

Everybody knows that pandas are supposed to be fat and slow, but what if one panda… became a kung-fu master?

Everybody knows that super-villains are supposed to be evil, but what if one super-villian… became a loving father of three adopted children?

Everybody knows that bees are supposed to make honey, but what if one bee… sued the entire human race in a court of law?

That last one is actually what happens in Bee Movie. Yup, I saw Bee Movie, and that totally happens. Anyway, I don’t necessarily think Universal’s Hop looks Smurfs bad, but it also seems like stale old mini-Snickers at this point.

The Russell Brand voiced cartoon/live action mix will be in theaters April 1st to cash in on families who can’t get enough of that sweet, sweet Easter. (Deadline)

Russell Brand Poops Candy In ‘Hop’ Trailer

Wookie Johnson — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:47:51 +0000

I’d always felt that Russell Brand leads a charmed life and today I have confirmation that he poops candy. I knew that the director of Alvin and the Chipmunks couldn’t resist a poop-eating joke. He probably laughed like a bastard while watching The Human Centipede.

In the film, Brand plays the I’d-rather-be-drumming Easter Bunny (who is British for some reason), as he embarks on his yearly mission only to be run over by James Marsden. The end.

Oops. No. I guess there’s more movie after that. And David Hasselhoff. If there are two things that Tim Hill can’t resist, they are poop-eating and David Hasselhoff. Which do you prefer? (Apple)

‘Hop’ Teaser Will Make You Want To Play Rock Band

Col. Longshanks — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:14:41 +0000

There’s a new anthropomorphic, animated animal that we’re to believe is wildly outrageous due to his drum skills and choice to wear a shirt but no pants. As if partial public nudity weren’t exxxtreme enough, the rabbit is also voiced by Russell Brand. So, get ready for some carrot jokes. They’ll probably go something like this, “I’ve got a carrot. (pause) But not the type you’re thinking of!” And then the skin-bags on “The View” will queef in unison.

But anyway, here we have our first look at Hop in the form of a teaser trailer. From the creators of Despicable Me, it’s pretty much a rabbit playing Blur’s “Song #2″ on the drums, though he seems to be having difficulties maintaining the beat or riding the hi-hat properly. That’s why I only recruited raccoons to join my band. Let’s show ‘em, Wookie and the Bandits! (Moviefone)