HITLESS WONDERS OSCAR HOPEFULS LOOK TO CASH IN AT BOX OFFICE.Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer The crop of 2005's Academy Award hopefuls couldn't be more different in terms of subject matter but they all have one thing in common: None has been a breakout box A device inserted into a multiple-line cable for testing purposes that provides an external connecting point to each wire. A small LED may be attached to each line, which glows when a signal is present.  Breakout Box _title> office hit. That leaves plenty of opportunity for critically acclaimed films such as ``The Aviator,'' ``Sideways,'' ``Million Dollar Baby,'' ``Hotel Rwanda'' and ``Finding Neverland'' to significantly cash in if they receive Golden Globe awards Sunday and Oscar nominations later this month. ``It's the first time since 1986 that the industry is lacking a blockbuster would-be best picture nominee,'' said Brandon Gray, president of Box Office Mojo Box Office Mojo is a website that tracks box office revenue in a systematic way. Brandon Gray started the site in August 1998 and claims to now receive over one million monthly visitors. . ``These movies will find an audience if they get (Oscar) nominated nom·i·nate tr.v. nom·i·nat·ed, nom·i·nat·ing, nom·i·nates 1. To propose by name as a candidate, especially for election. 2. To designate or appoint to an office, responsibility, or honor. because the period between the nominations and the ceremony is the most lucrative.'' Historically, the Best Picture field has included at least one bona fide [Latin, In good faith.] Honest; genuine; actual; authentic; acting without the intention of defrauding. A bona fide purchaser is one who purchases property for a valuable consideration that is inducement for entering into a contract and without suspicion of being box office hit such as ``Gladiator gladiator (Latin; swordsman) Professional combatant in ancient Rome who engaged in fights to the death as sport. Gladiators originally performed at Etruscan funerals, the intent being to give the dead man armed attendants in the next world. ,'' ``Titanic Titanic (tītăn`ĭk), British liner that sank on the night of Apr. 14–15, 1912, after crashing into an iceberg in the N Atlantic S of Newfoundland. More than 1,500 lives were lost. ,'' ``The Unforgiven,'' ``Forrest Gump'' and ``The Silence of the Lambs.'' This year, most of the front-runners have only seen limited release compared with the standard wide release of 2,000 to 3,000 theaters. The Clint Clint is the diminutive word for the given name Clinton and may refer to: People:
BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) . plans to expand to 1,500 locations Jan. 28, three days after Academy Award nominations are announced. The independent film ``Sideways'' has never been in more than 500 theaters since its October release, a risky strategy that will likely pay off handsomely for Fox Seachlight when it sends the movie into wide release - 1,200 locations - on Jan. 26. ``Fox Searchlight searchlight, device, usually swiveled, using a lens and reflecting surface to direct a powerful beam of light of nearly parallel rays. In 1892 such apparatus was used along the English Channel in coastal defense and later, in the South African War, as an aid to made a very bold strategic choice,'' said ``Sideways'' producer Michael London. ``Early on, (Fox Searchlight President) Peter Rice felt that rather than take the movie out wide, he had the confidence it would attract the kind of reviews and awards attention that it has. We were terrified ter·ri·fy tr.v. ter·ri·fied, ter·ri·fy·ing, ter·ri·fies 1. To fill with terror; make deeply afraid. See Synonyms at frighten. 2. To menace or threaten; intimidate. by his level of confidence and really concerned about what would happen if we didn't get the ride he thought we'd get then not get a chance to open wide.'' But with many critical prizes already under its belt as well as Golden Globe and various guild nominations, the strategy has been to keep ``Sideways'' on box office simmer for months but it still managed to amass a box office take of $25.1 million as of last weekend. ``The studio will go out very aggressively into well more than 1,000 theaters armed with ad tools that we haven't had before because they can make a lot of noise about all the wonderful attention we've gotten,'' London said. ``Usually a movie rises or falls in the first weekend. Forget the first weekend, we are three months in and will finally get our shot.'' The Miramax Films release ``Finding Neverland'' is already in 1,000 locations and had sold $27.9 million worth of tickets so far. The film's producer, Richard Gladstein, said the awards attention has given the film more staying power at the box office than if it had been released into more theaters. ``For a smaller film like 'Finding Neverland' or 'Sideways,' this kind of attention makes your meal, not just the gravy,'' Gladstein said. ``It becomes an ingredient for creating awareness and an audience. It's a little more important for the smaller, less overtly commercial broad appeal movie. I think it becomes far more critical to the film's birth and platform.'' MGM's ``Hotel Rwanda'' has also had a careful release strategy during awards season. The film, which has earned $1.7 million in very limited release, will expand into nearly 200 theaters in 39 markets today with plans for an additional 100 locations a week later. ``We didn't want to just jump out and get it everywhere because it's a moving film that we felt needed time to breathe,'' said Erik Lomis, MGM's president of domestic distribution. ``It's not one of those pictures that you can play in 3,000 theaters and in two weeks have it out of half of those. It needs to be nurtured.'' Universal Pictures' ``Ray,'' sure to get an Oscar nomination for lead actor Jamie Foxx Jamie Foxx (born December 13, 1967) is an American actor, singer, and stand-up comic. Foxx is possibly best-known for his performance of musician Ray Charles in Ray, and for his collaborations with director Michael Mann. , has all but completed its theatrical run and is set to bow on home video Feb. 1. ``Ray'' has grossed $72.1 million to date and was playing in nearly 400 theaters as of last weekend. The second highest-grossing film of the remaining Oscar front-runners is Miramax Films' ``The Aviator'' which had earned $42.8 million as of Sunday. The movie, playing in nearly 2,000 theaters, has already won many major awards and is considered an Oscar shoo-in for best picture and best director (Martin Scorsese Noun 1. Martin Scorsese - United States filmmaker (born in 1942) Scorsese ) nods. Greg Hernandez, (818) 713-3758 greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): box Box: SEEKING AWARDS BOOST SOURCE: Box Office Mojo Gregg Miller/Staff Artist |
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