Bubble

[w/o horse]

Spoilers.

Things about the movie

I liked it. Is what I'm saying. I liked it okay.

http://www.imdb.com/user/ur2926660/comments

So are we cutting and pasting xixax reviews for imdb, or vice versa?  Either way: odd.

Sometimes I get the hankering to post about a movie on IMDb.  It's kind of like an online movie journal, you know.  I log in, there are my mini-reviews with dates.

My IMDb has nothing to do with Xixax and my Xixax has nothing to do with my IMDb outside of if I write something for one I'll put it on the othe as well.

[polkablues]

My IMDb has nothing to do with Xixax and my Xixax has nothing to do with my IMDb outside of if I write something for one I'll put it on the othe as well.

And he was thinking about us the whole time he was writing there.

[MacGuffin]

'Bubble' Release Deemed Success by Backers

The independent film "Bubble" was barely a blip at movie theaters this weekend, but its pioneering multi-pronged distribution strategy has created more than its share of buzz.

The film, directed by Academy Award-winner Steven Soderbergh, is the first of six films to be produced under a partnership between Soderbergh and 2929 Entertainment. Founded by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban, the company owns Magnolia Pictures, which distributed "Bubble" in partnership with Landmark Theaters and HDNet Movies, the cable TV channel that aired it twice Friday. On Tuesday, the film arrives on DVD, as well.

The movie took in $70,664 from Friday through Sunday according to box office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations. The film played on 32 screens, mostly at Landmark and other independent theaters, for a per screen average of $2,208.

Orders for the DVD have been four times "normal expectations" according to a press release Monday from Magnolia Films. The company did not say how many individual DVDs were ordered.

While the film's box-office performance was modest because major theater chains refused to run it, the film's backers declared victory for their release strategy.

"We are very happy with the results so far of this first day-and-date release, and while theatrical performance was not as high as we would have liked, it compared favorably to other similar films released this weekend," Cuban said in a press release.

The film cost $1.6 million to produce, a paltry sum even by independent film standards.

The release stirred controversy because of the high-profile director attached to it and because at least one major media executive suggested the idea might make sense for more mainstream Hollywood fare.

Theater owners attacked the plan, saying theater chains would lose millions of dollars if other studios adopted similar strategies.

The company said it is considering a similar release strategy for nine other films in addition to the ones to be directed by Soderbergh.

[modage]

Bubble Grosses $5M Its Opening Weekend
Source: Wagner/Cuban Companies January 30, 2006

HDNet Films and Magnolia Pictures announced today that their day-and-date release strategy for Bubble has grossed approximately $5 million in total revenues in its opening weekend, including box office, DVD pre-orders and other revenues. The Steven Soderbergh film exceeded the companies' total revenue expectations.

"We are very happy with the results so far of this first day-and-date release, and while theatrical performance was not as high as we would have liked, it compared favorably to other similar films released this weekend," said Mark Cuban, co-owner of HDNet Films, Magnolia Pictures and Landmark Theatres. "More importantly, when combined with DVD pre-orders and other revenues from our composite strategy, our opening weekend performance firmly registers 'Bubble's' day-and-date release as a profitable venture."

The film earned $72,000 on 32 screens, a $2,250 per screen average.

"With a production budget of $1.6 million and a modest marketing budget that covered both theatrical and DVD releases in one spend - one of the cornerstones of the day-and-date program - this proves the strategy can work," said Todd Wagner. "We are very pleased with the overall results of this first step, and we plan to refine the marketing strategy and continue to release more films in this manner."

The following HDNet Films productions are being considered for day-and-date release in the near future:


One Last Thing - a bittersweet comedy written by Barry Stringfellow and directed by Alex Steyermark, starring Michael Angarano and Cynthia Nixon;

Diggers - a 70s-era period piece written by Ken Marino and directed by Katherine Dieckmann and starring Paul Rudd, Maura Tierney, Josh Hamilton and Lauren Ambrose

All Fall Down - a sophisticated urban drama directed by Matt Tauber and starring Anthony LaPaglia, Isabella Rossellini and Viola Davis;

Quid Pro Quo - a dark comedy written and directed by Carlos Brooks and produced by Midge Sanford and Sarah Pillsbury;

Hunter - the story of the life and death of infamous gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, from Alex Gibney, director of Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, and producer Graydon Carter;

Herbie Hancock: Possibilities - a performance-driven, behind-the-scenes look at the making of the acclaimed musician's just-released album "Possibilities," featuring Hancock's collaboration with such musicians as Sting, Santana and John Mayer;

S&Man - a film directed by J.T. Petty that explores the relation between voyeurism and horror films;

Fay Grim - from maverick director Hal Hartley and Parker Posey and starring Jeff Goldblum, a funny and provocative take on the world of international espionage;

Surfwise - produced by Graydon Carter and delves into the life of legendary Malibu surfer Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz, who introduced the sport to Israel in the 1960s; and

A Soderbergh-directed documentary about the never-performed monologue Spalding Gray left behind before he committed suicide last year.

[grand theft sparrow]

Bubble Grosses $5M Its Opening Weekend

They'd be smart not to expect those kinds of numbers again for any of those films with the possible exception of the Spalding Gray doc.  That and I'd like to know where more DVDs were sold and more HDNet viewings were, in the regions where it was playing or where it wasn't. 

But I am excited about the prospect of seeing Hal Hartley's new film and then being able to buy the DVD on the way out of the theatre.

[Jeremy Blackman]

This was a great little movie, and perfectly simple. The acting really worked for me.

By the way, check out Netflix's description. Sometimes I wonder if the description writers actually see the movie, but this time I know they haven't. I would put a spoiler warning before this, but, well..

Moving on from high-profile Rat Pack remakes, director Steven Soderbergh tests out a new method of moviemaking that involves low-cost digital camerawork and employs -- get this -- no-name actors. Set in a crumbling Ohio town that revolves around the local doll factory, this offbeat film follows the antics of townsfolk turned detectives who try to unravel a murder mystery -- and end up discovering a bizarre love triangle.

Did they accidentally watch an episode of Twin Peaks?

[pete]

that $5M was the most self-congratulatory and misleading number ever.  I mean, they just claimed that from all these dvd-presales on the websites and video stores and whatnot, but nobody's really bought $5M worth of dvds yet.

[Pozer]

I quite enjoyed this.  The acting really did work.

Spoiler?
It felt like I was watching a reality show that lead up to a real murder.  The commentary and other minor extras were great too.  I love  how they found these folks, especially finding the woman at the drive through at KFC.  I want to cast the sweet old woman with a sense of evil in her that works at the Del Taco near my house.  She'll say, "There's a couple of extra soft tacos in there for ya, love" then shoot me a wink with the color of del scorcho sauce appearing in the whites of her eyes... chills.  But you bet I'll be paying her a visit tonight. 

[modage]

wow, what did like 5 people see this?  why do we even have a soderbergh forum?

[JG]

me and my friends were all set to go the friday after it was released and it was gone.   this wasn't the typical sodenbergh outing, and it shouldnt be a fair judgement of how many people here like him. 

[polkablues]

wow, what did like 5 people see this?  why do we even have a soderbergh forum?

I'm still a chump who goes to Blockbuster, my local branch of which ordered precisely one copy of Bubble.  So here I am, still waiting.

[modage]

ordinarily this would be where i told you to go to netflix, but *sigh.  not anymore.   

[matt35mm]

Well, if you sign up with Netflix, I'm sure they'll ship you a copy real soon.

But for me, the "frequent-renter," it's been on my queue since it came out.  In fact, I returned a movie which they recieved on the Tuesday morning the movie was released, but they sent it out to the less-frequent renters before they got to sending me a movie, so I got sent the next movie on my list.  Psh.  It's been unavailable ever since.  I'll get it after everybody else has seen it, though.  I have many more great movies on my list to hold me over until then.

[Pubrick]

hey man, if it's not a box-office sensation, mod doesn't wanna hear about it.

SPIELBERG AND JAMES CAMERON (RIP) FORUMS ONLY FROM NOW ON UNDER MOD'S LAW

[modage]

well it doesnt have to be a box office sensation but you'd think if it were a director people were excited about there would be a little more interest when they have a film come out.  especially one available to everyone and not rolling out in major cities slowly.  granted it is a 'smaller' release but still.