New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

Tom Macy: In the shadow of Twilight it was a perfect alternative for couples who can vote. Females saw this as a feel good movie they wanted to drag their boyfriends to and men saw it as a movie with football in it, leaving both to secretly high five their friends for having duped their significant other. Whether or not it was entirely intentional, it looks like The Blind Side (I just mistyped and wrote the Bling Side - is that already a movie starring Martin Lawrence, Martin Lawrence and Martin Lawrence?) was a beneficiary of reverse counter programming (or something). This is why I don't work for a Hollywood studio.

Michael Lynderey: The Blind Side's number is to me almost no less shocking than Twilight's. New Moon was always going to be one shade of massive or the other, but where did this one come from? It looked like a hundred other movies. The only explanation I have is that Blind Side was the most fortuitous recipient of New Moon's carry-over business, or that holiday audiences looking for a decent family film (a movie about families, that is) have already started seeping into theaters.

Max Braden: As far as I can tell, only three sports-themed movies have opened bigger - The Longest Yard, Talladega Nights, and The Waterboy - all comedies with a bigger star than Bullock. It's also her biggest opening yet, beating her previous which of course was The Proposal this year. I think without her the movie would have opened in the range most initially expected, but I also don't doubt there was measurable spillover from sold out shows of New Moon.

David Mumpower: I have been saying for a couple of years now that Avatar is the most important film on the schedule. I believe this to be the case for any number of reasons involving Cameron's greatness as well as the inimitable success of his prior project, Titanic. Despite all of this, when I voted for the BOP 20 of Holiday, The Blind Side was my top choice, even over Avatar. The latter film will offer technical majesty and all of the storytelling wizardry that has been a hallmark of Cameron's career, but the book The Blind Side touched my heart. The world needs more Leigh Anne Tuohys, people who are in a position to help and don't shun their social responsibilities. Similarly, my heart bleeds for the inscrutable nature of Michael Oher as a teen, a blank slate of a human being who is understandably guarded in his conversations for fear of being sent off to another foster care home. Everything about this story is what is good in humanity, and I embrace movie-making that celebrates optimism in an era where cynicism is so much more marketable. I had been hoping that this film would open to $20 million and wind up north of $60 million domestically. It makes my spirit soar that we're now looking at a $100 million domestic performance instead. I've been saying for a while now that The Blind Side is like a special little movie gift to me from the kind folks at Warner Bros. and I'm thrilled to see it easily surpass all reasonable expectations.

Continued:       1       2       3       4