Movie Nation

OK, no way anybody expects “Warm Bodies” to do that “Zombie Twilight” impersonation and become a blockbuster that every teen girl and her mom just HAS to see opening weekend, right?

Summit released both films. And while the book “Bodies” is based on is a hit, it has decent reviews and appeals to the same demo, it doesn’t have “phenomenon” attached to it the way Ms. Meyer’s books did.

So Box Office Mojo’s $17-20 million weekend for this non 3D zombie romance is not out of line.

The box office guru is going the same way.  $18 milllion.

I think they’re both lowballing this one. It has good buzz. The reviews aren’t bad at all. It could surprise and do low $20s, I figure.

It’s Super Bowl Weekend. Things don’t typically blow up at the movies over this stretch of the movie calendar, but $20-22 million openings (“Chronicle”) are not uncommon.

That makes sense when you’re picking a number out of a hat for “Bullet to the Head,” whose demographic won’t be doing anything out of reach of a TV set for most of Sunday.

The Guru figures $9 million, because Stallone is, what, 50% better than Schwarzenegger?  Box office mojo is lowballing that one, too — under $8.

I think Stallone still pulls them in, at least to the tune of mid$teens. $13? I figure this one will sit in second place this weekend.

“Mama” will continue to make money, and I figure “Hansel & Gretel” will fall right off the table its second weekend — 65% drop.

Oscar contenders “The Silver Linings Playbook” and “Zero Dark Thirty” will stay high in the top ten.

Yes, he’s married to Fergie. And for all the hits he’s turned up in, he hasn’t quite broken out. Yet. Josh Duhamel has classed up many a flailing romantic comedy (“When in Rome”), propped up many a failing leading lady (“Life As We Know It”). And always come out of it grinning.

He’s survived the “Transformers” franchise more or less un-scathed. Will he be able to say that about going all Nicholas Sparks on us? Hey, that did wonders for Channing Tatum and Ryan Gosling, among others.

I’m talking to Josh (his bio is here) about “Safe Haven,” and I’d love some ideas for lines of questioning. As always, post them as comments, and as always, thanks for your help!

The onslaught of good reviews (mine here) for the zombie romantic comedy “Warm Bodies” may not turn it into the Zombie “Twilight.” But they won’t hurt.

“Bullet to the Head” (review here) will let us see if Stallone can drag a middling actioner into hit territory, something Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t able to pull off with “The Last Stand.” Weak to middling reviews for this one.

“Stand Up Guys” (my review here) has three Oscar winners, and Lucy Punch. And Julianna Margulies.

It’s pretty much stillborn, but when Alan Arkin shows up to join old gangster pals Al Pacino and Christopher Walken, we get a taste of the movie it might have been. Weak reviews for this one.

And remember, at select cinemas in select cities this year’s Oscar nominated animated, live action and documentary shorts are being shown as complete programs — five short films in one sitting.This is a VERY good year for the field, with five strong films in each category.

Enzian here in Orlando is showing the Live Action shorts (review here) and Animated ones (ditto, here), starting this weekend.