'Obsession' Compulsion and 'Shrek'-cavation

Rendy Jones returns to discuss what went right with Focus Features’ Obsession (which actually opened with a $17 million opening weekend, with a very promising 2.46x multiplier) and what went wrong for Is God Is. - Rendy notes how Alisha Harris’ terrific crime melodrama caught between Michael (now at $705 million worldwide) last weekend and presumably Boots Riley’s more explicitely “light” I Love Boosters this coming Memorial Day weekend.- Lisa Laman sings the praises of Orion president Alana Mayo for greenlighting the likes of Till, Women Talking, Hedda, Bottoms, Nickel Boys and American Fiction.- Everyone agrees that Obsession is A) the kind of movie Blumhouse should be distributing and B) another strong example of a well-liked high-concept chiller aimed at present-tense moviegoers, hitting a commercial bullseye. - Everyone also agrees that Mortal Kombat II is proving to be a for-fans-only sequel, while Scott Mendelson wonders if the target demos just spent the weekend catching up on Karl Urban’s The Boys before the (pretty good) series finale. - There is some slight disagreement over whether The Sheep Detectives’s softer overseas grossers will somewhat mitigate its solid domestic earnings. Jeremy Fuster is more pessimistic and, thus, probably correct.- There are a few minutes spent offering salutes to Michael, Devil Wears Prada 2, Project Hail Mary and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and point-and-laugh scorn for In the Grey. - The opening third of this episode’s discourse features quite a bit of Shrek talk, since the first film returned to theaters last weekend for its 25th anniversary. You’ll never believe this, but the general consensus is that Shrek 2 > Shrek the Third! - And yes, there’s another Financial Flashback game, this time based around the highs, lows and “huh?” of 2001.Recommended Reading (or Listening)…* Scott Mendelson discusses why the best box office comp for The Mandalorian and Grogu is not a Star Wars movie but rather Batman Begins.* Jeremy Fuster interviews Drop Out CEO Sam Reich on Game Changer and more.* Lisa Laman argues that 2009 was an all-time great year for theatrical animation and that corporate consolidation means we won’t get another like it.* Ryan Scott champions the notion that The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is exactly the kind of modern-classic Stephen King book that should be prioritized for feature film adaptation. Here’s hoping Lionsgate optioning the rights (and hiring Strange Darling’s JT Molner to write and direct) bears fruit.* Max Deering pours one out for the 2006 Silent Hill movie.* Rendy Jones champions twenty movies, not just Netflix titles, that damn well deserve physical media releases.If you like what you hear... Please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, please email us at [email protected].* Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop and Puck News* Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap* Lisa Laman - Dallas Observer, Pajiba, Looper, Comic Book and Autostraddle* Ryan C. Scott - SlashFilm, Fangoria and Inverse* Max Deering - Fangoria and Action For Everyone* Rendy Jones - Rendy’s Reviews Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe