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This is exactly why educational test scores are at historic lows!

Kim Hollis: Step Up become one of the biggest surprises of the summer box office season, earning an estimated $21.1 million, almost upending Talladega Nights in the process. How would you describe this performance?

Joel Corcoran: "Inconceivable"?

Reagen Sulewski: Kids and ballet. Boy, I don't know.

Tim Briody: It's MySpacearffic. We touched on it last week discussing John Tucker Must Die, but that's basically where this stuff gets marketed now.

Kim Hollis: I truly didn't even know what this movie was until last week. I never even considered it as a factor.

David Mumpower: This is exemplary. We again see that tracking is shaky on that pesky teen demographic. Step Up was universally regarded by experts as a lower teens performer yet the My Space crowd treated it like a blockbuster.

Dan Krovich: Every teen movie from here is going to be running to My Space now. They're 2/2.

Reagen Sulewski: And here's the best part - it doesn't even have to seem like it'll be good!

Tell BOP what you don't like about yourself.

David Mumpower: When Nip/Tuck did a MySpace page for The Carver, F/X got eviscerated for such an absurd marketing campaign. In hindsight, they were six months ahead of the curve.

Joel Corcoran: I agree, Dano. It's a fascinating effect to watch, too. Just think of all those college kids with marketing degrees graduating this year who can go directly to Hollywood.

Dan Krovich: Step Up isn't bad, and more importantly for marketing purposes, it's familiar.

Kim Hollis: I officially became old when myspace became huge.

Reagen Sulewski: Exactly. I feel a bit fogeyish here. This? This is a hit?

David Mumpower: Dan brings up an excellent point. This is no different from Grease in its own way.

Kim Hollis: Well, other than the fact that Grease is fantastic.

Joel Corcoran: But all snarkiness aside, I think this is a great side-effect of Step Up and John Tucker Must Die. We're seeing new marketing strategies emerging alongside new distribution technologies.

Sure, you'll Step Up, but you won't Stick It.

Dan Krovich: And it's almost exactly Save the Last Dance (from the same writer).


David Mumpower: That's right, Dan. It's no different from the woman behind Bring It On doing a similar theme with Stick It.

Joel Corcoran: Stick It is still one of my favorite movies of the year.


Kim Hollis: I *loved* Stick It. Which probably means I'll love Step Up, too. If it's good enough for Kevin Smith...

David Mumpower: Stick It is a wildly enjoyable film and you made a great point, Joel. The whole thing circles back to Mark Cuban offering a job to anyone who can figure out a new marketing model for movies. The current system is too expensive. Winners like Step Up overcome this obstacle.

Tim Briody: Does Step Up have a completely random dance montage to a Jackson Five song too?





Joel Corcoran: I'll probably go see Step Up when it gets to the brewpub theater circuit, but honestly, I'm glad to see a "crowd-sourcing" approach to movie marketing. And it will be even more interesting when other studios try mimicking the same approach.

David Mumpower: I'll be disappointed if Step Up doesn't include the monologue: "You are now carrying my child. It is the magic of the dance!" Step Up is a movie for the Lisa Simpsons of the (real) world.

Dan Krovich: Step Up was basically fun. A familiar story with appealing leads, good music and dancing, and a positive message about following your dreams.