Apple TV+ Movie 'Finch' Sets New Opening Weekend Record

[Pilot Jones]

Nope.

"Filming took place throughout New Mexico from February to May 2019. The film was scheduled to be released in theaters in the United States by Universal Pictures on October 2, 2020, but was delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was retitled Finch, sold to Apple TV+, and was released on November 5, 2021."

Hard to imagine this in theaters honestly.

Very true. This was an absolute win for both Universal and Apple.

Universal knew this would have bombed in theatres and Apple knows that the Tom Hanks + Zemeckis + Amblin involvement would be enough to get people to sign up and watch.

Universal profitably dumped a movie that would've most certainly tanked and Apple got a movie that by its face value, turned a ton of heads. Not a fan of the film, but really smart business moves all around.

 

[liberte1776]

Sorry, looks like a really dumb show.

 

[Ubele]

I'm a Tom Hanks fan, and I'm in the camp of those who are giving "Finch" 7/10 -- good but not great. There definitely are flaws in logic (something that's true with most science fiction movies) and a few too many "cute robot" tropes, but I ultimately found the story moving.

As for Apple TV+, I wouldn't pay for it as a stand-alone service, but we get Apple One, so I'm happy to have Apple TV+ as part of the bundle. I've enjoyed several of their series and movies.

 

[wigby]

yes, I certainly understand that. still would be interesting to see absolute numbers. they would say a lot about how many users ATV+ has. if the overall viewership is low beating a previous low record doesn't say much. In asbsence of official numbers I find that imdb rating numbers are a good proxy to judge.

Until ATV+ subscribers hit critical mass, we will never see any real numbers. The only people that get to see real numbers are executives and stars. They know the numbers are low but those numbers are being subsidized with lots of cash in the form of exclusivity and establishing a relationship with Apple while the ATV+ service continues to grow. At this rate we probably won't see any real numbers for another 2-4 years. In the meantime, it's a good service and great value which is something rare from Apple who usually offers great service/products that are overpriced.

 

[HughRR]

Are Apple TV+ shows that bad that this was the one that set a record?

Yes.

That moon race one was like watching my 90 year old mother trying to send an SMS.

 

[cesarbm]

One of Tom Hanks worst movies ever, very sad movie! Sort of like Cast Away, but a really bad version, a very similar story line, but instead of vollley ball he has a robot. Don't waste your time!

 

[Internaut]

I was OK, but that robot brought back Jar Jar PTSD.

Meesa back as a robot!

I enjoyed it.

 

[MrTangent]

watched it on a flight yesterday. it was fine.

Fine, as in wine, or fine as in okay, or fine, as it woah look at that lady?

 

[MacDaddyPanda]

It was alright. Basically live action Walle. I don't see the strong comparison to Castaway though.

 

[Ant.honey]

People LOVE cheesy movies.

 

[ddhhddhh2]

Well... Not too bad, if you have popcorn or pizza or fried chicken, remember to bring Coke or Pepsi, Heineken is fine too.

 

[5105973]

I don’t watch a lot of movies and when I do, I can’t focus for too long but I ended up watching this without interruption and I cried like a baby! Ugh. Need more good shorter movies. LOL.

I can’t focus well, either, on movies. That’s why I like to watch movies on my phone. I can rewind to the parts that I zoned out on. My family and I only really got heartbroken over the thing that happened in the building (don’t want to spoil it, but you know what I mean). Everything else we felt pretty good about, because Finch got about as good of an outcome as he could have hoped for under the circumstances. Which is pretty good for a movie about an apocalypse.

 

[mindtpi99]

Remember that this is only available on Apple TV+. Apple doesn't care about setting box-office records, they want to attract people to their service.

The problem with that is that the content just isn't that great and there isn't enough of it to encourage you to join. Once my free year expires I won't bother renewing.

 

[ericg301]

Fine, as in wine, or fine as in okay, or fine, as it woah look at that lady?

fine as in okay. as in "well this took up most of the flight."

 

[Jony Five]

Apple’s shows and movies are so pleasant and inoffensive. Compare them to something like HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones and you’ll see what I mean. The head office is letting the company’s philosophy and aesthetics turn their content into pablum.

 

[SFjohn]

It’s a sweet movie about found family really. We both enjoyed it.

 

[Luposian]

The problem with that is that the content just isn't that great and there isn't enough of it to encourage you to join. Once my free year expires I won't bother renewing.

Yup. I'm cancelling our free subscription, too. Next month, we're gone. Can't find enough content that motivates me to pay their monthly fee... watched like, maybe two movies in 1 year and hated Cast Aw...I mean, Finch. Apple can keep their TV+. I dun want it.

 

[SFjohn]

Yup. I'm cancelling our free subscription, too. Next month, we're gone. Can't find enough content that motivates me to pay their monthly fee... watched like, maybe two movies in 1 year and hated Cast Aw...I mean, Finch. Apple can keep their TV+. I dun want it.

I’m really enjoying Foundation, it seems very slow and random, but over time all those things that didn’t make sense the first time around gain a ton of interest later on. I’m looking forward to binge watching it a second time around.

 

[Boeingfan]

He's creating a theme; I'm surprised the robot wasn't called Wilson ?

 

[atomwork]

It was ok, nothing special.

 

[Wahlstrm]

It’s mainly a film for all the people who could not stop wondering about:

“What do you get if you make a mashup of I Am Legend and I Robot and replace Will Smith’s characters with Tom Hanks character from Castaway?”

 

[Flight Plan]

I'm so OVER everything being a post-apocalyptic saga, or any story about being trapped on a desert island, or being stranded on Mars, stuck in a space capsule or in a solitary confinement prison, or drifting for years on a boat in the middle of a flooded world, for that matter.

Hanks and Costner seem to thrive on this pap.

Boredom. It's all that Hollywood can seem to promote these days.

Oh, but you say, this one is Apple. Or it's Netflix. Or it's Amazon. But the basic premise seems to be on endless repeat, sort of like an eternally looping version of Bill Murray in "Groundhog Day", which is another example of exactly the boredom that I'm calling them out on. Oh and they all want me to pay a subscription now in exchange for the boredom they're selling me!

Anyhow, I'm just not seeing enough here to make me think that this might help me escape from real life for a couple hours and be entertained without being bored or preached at.

 

[jonnysods]

Maybe apple need to buy a few movie studios to get a back catalogue of films?

 

[SFjohn]

I'm so OVER everything being a post-apocalyptic saga, or any story about being trapped on a desert island, or being stranded on Mars, stuck in a space capsule or in a solitary confinement prison, or drifting for years on a boat in the middle of a flooded world, for that matter.

Hanks and Costner seem to thrive on this pap.

Boredom. It's all that Hollywood can seem to promote these days.

Oh, but you say, this one is Apple. Or it's Netflix. Or it's Amazon. But the basic premise seems to be on endless repeat, sort of like an eternally looping version of Bill Murray in "Groundhog Day", which is another example of exactly the boredom that I'm calling them out on. Oh and they all want me to pay a subscription now in exchange for the boredom they're selling me!

Anyhow, I'm just not seeing enough here to make me think that this might help me escape from real life for a couple hours and be entertained without being bored or preached at.

You certainly do sound bored.

 

[warpdrive]

the one thing I liked is the premise of the apocolypse. It was entirely possible that the ozone is gone and the earth is dead. NThe premise of an AI robot is out there especially one that seems to display emotions and complex judgement. Of course, and the other capabilities like the ability to lift the camper and no need to recharge.

But even if you ignore the technical aspects, the movie was just ok. I mean, there's the Mad Max blockbuster type of apocalypse movies and there's these ones where the apocolypse is just the backdrop to have a sad hopeless situation to show the human spirit.