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Kim Hollis: I’m just not sure who this movie wanted to appeal to. Cormac McCarthy fans? That’s a pretty thin market, even if he is considered one of the greatest living writers. Other than that, the cast was good, but they all looked weird. Brad Pitt was in the strange cowboy getup, Javier Bardem had more funky hair, Cameron Diaz looked greasy and skeezy and Michael Fassbender isn’t big enough to sell a film. I’m guessing that this idea is one that would have worked better in novel format.

Kim Hollis: 12 Years a Slave managed a #8 finish even though it expanded to only 123 venues. Its $2.2 million weekend finish kicks off its awards campaign in a big way. What do you think about this result, as well as its awards potential?

Edwin Davies: In all honesty, I would have expected a bit more considering how deafening the acclaim is for 12 Years A Slave, but this is still an incredibly strong start for a film which by all accounts is very, very good but very, very tough to watch. That toughness might hold it back from being a huge breakout success down the road, but it's clearly set up to do very well over the awards season. In my mind, this is the film to beat.

Jason Barney: Unfortunately the film is still not playing in my area, but I have started to watch the theaters to see which venues it might hit. This is a great expansion and it makes you wonder where the ceiling will be. The limited number of screens and theaters thus far can't be a realistic measure, so we will have to wait a couple of weeks to take stock of just how successful it is going to be.

David Mumpower: I believe there is an argument that can be made on both sides with regards to the box office of 12 Years a Slave. Yes, it earned a spot in the top ten while opening in only 123 locations. That would be amazing for most films. The problem is that this weekend was top heavy, meaning that a $2.1 million debut could net a spot that high on the charts. The negative side of the box office argument is that the per-location average fell 65% from $48,617 to $17,352. That is actually not bad and in fact perfectly in line with the platform movie release rules we discussed over the years here at BOP. The problem is that if the trend continues, the movie may plateau too early in its release to be considered a bona fide Best Picture contender. Yes, it can earn a nod with mediocre box office but it is unlikely to win in such a scenario. That’s a shame for a film with such glowing buzz.

Kim Hollis: I think this is a pretty damned impressive result considering the subject matter and the fact that its star is not widely known in North America. I would say that it’s the buzz film of the awards season but I hesitate to call it the leader in the clubhouse just yet. I’d put money on Fassbender winning for Supporting Actor today, though.

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