Avengers shatters all boxoffice opening weekend records.

I don't mind aliens invading the earth so much, but...this is battleship. A game where you blind fire to try to blow the crap out of some one elses battleships. They've already removed half of the formula.

Not that it particularly matters, it was a movie based on a board game. Not like you've got a ton to work with there. Likewise though, no one has any sort of expectations.

Take the Magic: The Gathering 'What Color Are You?' Quiz.

Saw it. Had fun! Avengers is the better movie, but still enjoyed it. Fun visuals. And most of the movie does indeed take place at sea. There's little on the ground action (but there is a bit, but it doesn't deal with ground forces really).

Someone hasn't seen "Clue" with Tim Curry Yet.
http://youtu.be/nkwqw4lPz64

Clue at least has human characters, a location, and loose plot to work with...

When you consider that there are other big blockbusters coming up in the next few weeks this opening weekend for Battleship was likely going to be its only serious chance in the theaters. Hopefully this'll put an end to the "Michel Bay-esque" type movie for the foreseeable future - we can only hope...

Doubt it, don't forget that Bay's production company is doing the reboot to 20-something Alien Martial-Artists Turtles.

So you prefere the real Michael Bay movies? That you know, don't bomb?

I've seen it. I knew in advance that Tim Curry was in it. So I'm watching... then I stare at the screen.... Holy cow! That's LEE VING!
(I'd link to a Fear video, but I don't think there are any with lyrics it would be allowable to link from here. )

Battleship was never a serious threat...

fixed that for ya..

Saying best movie of all time is hog wash.. it was a great fun movie that lived up to the hype.. but there have been MANY great movies in the last 75 years to say this is better than Godfather, Titanic, Scarface, or any number of movies is pushing it.

Sorry, but Avengers stands up on it's own, to consider it only as a Superhero movie is a major oversight. It's current cultural impact (in the UK) is approaching that of Star Wars in 1977.

And as for Titanic, that's not even a good movie. It's tripe of the highest order that was simply lucky enough to be popular (similar to a certain MMO I can think of).

I don't know. Of those three movies, they could easily not entertain someone andthusly not that great, even if they have the technical merits and what not.

Was still a fun movie to watch.

Though, now we have to wait and see if MIB3 will knock Avengers out of the #1 spot or will Avengers dominate May?

*sigh* Sort of forgot about that one - probably my sanity trying to subconsciously defend itself.

Basically the very concept of a "Micheal Bay movie that doesn't bomb" is undeniable proof that people are still selling their souls to the Devil and still getting magically impossible things for making those deals.

For what it's worth if a "Michael Bay" type movie has to exist I'd almost rather it come directly from the source. The scary idea that people are trying their best to "copy the Bay formula" is more depressing to me than Bay himself making money from his own tripe.

Welcome to last week when I said:

Apparently my prediction came true.

Avengers was a very good movie, and I have no doubt we'll probably get many new spinoffs/sequels from it for years to come. But I think time will have to tell if it becomes a "cultural phenomena" the likes of Star Wars.

Star Wars became as big as it did because it effectively established a new sci-fi based religion. I understand some people will probably quibble over my equating Star Wars to a religion, but if you compare how other real religions got their start you'll see quite a few parallels between the two, especially if you consider how many people were genuinely affected and consider Star Wars to be "life-altering" for them even today. Heck, last I heard Jediism was literally an officially recognized religion in Australia.

Will Avengers spawn a pseudo-religious experience for millions of people like Star Wars has? Somehow I doubt it in the long run. But I will agree that as far as mega-popular franchises go it'll certainly be one of the biggest for the foreseeable future.

*looks up briefly from Photoshopping First United Church Of Whedon T-shirts, laughs at the unbeliever, and carries on*

Okay, but you don't need to be a Jedi to see that one coming. Battleship may be a stinker, but not a sinker: its distributors put out the print around Europe before the US for a solid enough $205m. Coupled with the $25m-30m US domestic expected, that at least exceeds the stated production cost. Just. But after the theatres' and distributors' cuts, the studio will see maybe $120m of that if they're lucky.

Even with Hollywood quantum accounting methods, rolling breaks, production and publicity overhead allowances and whatnot, that's still going to be a nasty loss. Going to need some serious DVD, VOD and other channel sales to make it back.

...speaking of which, where exactly did they spend $200m on Battleship? Did they have to chuck another half-mill at Neeson every take to stop him cracking up laughing over the script?

Joss Whedon to Peter Berg: Miss
Peter Berg to Joss Whedon: YOU SANK MY BATTLESHIP!

Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.

I think that's what you meant.

As someone who was 9 in 1977, and who teaches several 8-10 years olds now, I'm ideally placed to observe the similarities. And the initial success of Star Wars was not initially due to the pseudo-religious elements. Most of that came with the later movies. See, for example, the very first EU novels, The Han Solo adventures, have no jedi or mysticism in them at all.

Now, the effect will probably be greater in the UK, where superhero comics have previously been more of a minority interest. Perhaps more like: "You sunk my Beano!"