The Rock's In a Hard Place: 6 Industry Experts Offer Advice After 'Moana' Drowns at Box Office and 'Jumanji 3' Test Screening Review Fails to Inspire

Happy Tuesday, folks!

Last night, I saw Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey in glorious 70mm, and I’m writing up a review for tomorrow, so be sure to subscribe so you can read that one.

Over the weekend, I saw Evil Dead Burn, which was okay. I wasn’t quite sure what the film was trying to say about domestic abuse, but it certainly had some gnarly gore. It wasn’t a top-tier entry in the franchise for me, but I did like Burn more than Evil Dead 2, which I watched for the first time as well and didn’t really care for, given its goofier, more comedic tone.

Speaking of old comedies, I also rewatched My Cousin Vinny, which still holds up 34 years later — a true testament to good writing and characters who you care about, brought to life by talented performers such as Joe Pesci, Oscar winner Marisa Tomei, and a supporting cast of killer character actors, including Fred Gwynne, Lane Smith, Bruce McGill, Austin Pendleton, James Rebhorn, and Chris Ellis, among others.

What I did not go see, and what my nieces did not go see, was Disney’s live-action Moana, which grossed $43 million this weekend on a reported production budget of $250 million. Ouch!

What went wrong, and where does Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson go from here? Every outlet on the planet is asking those same questions today, but none of them have blunt answers from six industry insiders and a test screening report about Jumanji: Open World, which is slated to hit theaters in December — at least for now.

Premium subscribers can continue reading for more juice… but first, a quick shoutout to Sam Neill, who passed away at age 78 this week. Neill was an essential part of the magic of Jurassic Park, and a clear inspiration for Johnson’s Jumanji character. R.I.P.

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