Spider-Man Stays #1, Coyote vs. Acme Surges & Onslaught Disappoints

Spider-Man: Brand New Day refuses to give up the top spot. Guy T. Wehman, Allison Rose, and Stephen Leibowitz open this Labor Day weekend edition of FlickRadio with Spider-Man sitting at number one for the fifth consecutive week, while Coyote vs. Acme finally reaches theaters and lands an impressive number-two debut. The team looks at why word of mouth could give Coyote vs. Acme staying power, especially after the film spent years in limbo before Ketchup Entertainment brought it to audiences. Stephen and Allison discuss the movie’s nostalgic appeal, its $15.9 million domestic opening, and why audiences who grew up with Wile E. Coyote and the Acme Corporation are turning out for it. The news is much worse for The Dog Stars. Despite a reported $70 million budget and a wide release, the film struggles to connect with audiences. Allison again praises its visuals but calls the story disappointing, while the group compares its performance with the much smaller horror release Buddy, which is already profitable thanks to a budget under $3 million. The box-office conversation also covers PAW Patrol, Mutiny, the continuing strength of horror throughout the year, and why per-theater averages can sometimes tell a more interesting story than weekend grosses alone. The discussion then turns to Ketchup Entertainment, the independent distributor that rescued Coyote vs. Acme from Warner Bros. after also releasing another shelved animated project. Stephen makes the case for smaller distributors willing to take chances on movies larger studios leave behind. For this weekend’s new releases, Allison and Stephen both tackle Onslaught. Allison finds the movie tonally confused, unable to decide whether it wants to be action, horror, parody, or something more experimental. Stephen compares it to Universal Soldier crossed with Die Hard, but says its grim tone and extreme gore keep it from becoming the kind of mindless fun ride it seems to want to be. Stephen also reviews Fall 2: Dead Point, the sequel to 2022’s Fall. This time, another group becomes stranded thousands of feet above the ground, but Stephen finds the sequel far less effective at building suspense and criticizes several filmmaking choices that undermine moments that should have been shocking. Allison has better things to say about By Any Means, starring Mark Wahlberg and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Loosely inspired by a true story, the film follows an FBI agent working with a Mafia hitman while investigating the murders of civil rights leaders in 1966 Mississippi. Allison praises its pacing and thriller elements and calls it the best choice among this weekend’s new releases. The episode closes with Classic Picks of the Week. Stephen honors the late screenwriter Victor Miller with the original 1980 Friday the 13th. Allison goes back to 1983 for Michael Keaton in Mr. Mom, while Guy celebrates Labor Day weekend with another 1983 favorite, National Lampoon’s Vacation. Episode Chapters 00:00 - Welcome to FlickRadio 01:13 - Coyote vs. Acme Opens Strong as Spider-Man Stays #1 03:50 - Dog Stars, PAW Patrol, Buddy & the Box Office 07:05 - How Ketchup Entertainment Saved Coyote vs. Acme 07:50 - Onslaught, Fall 2: Dead Point & By Any Means Reviews 12:02 - Classic Picks: Friday the 13th, Mr. Mom & Vacation Play Guess the Gross! How well do you know movie history? Guess the Gross gives you one movie every day and six chances to guess its historical worldwide box office total. Green means the digit is exactly right, orange means you're within two, and gray means the digit is incorrect. Challenge your friends, share your score, and see who really knows the box office. Download for iPhone: Guess the Gross on the App Store Download for Android: Guess the Gross on Google Play Hosted by Guy T. Wehman with FlickDirect critics Allison Rose and Stephen Leibowitz. Subscribe to FlickRadio for weekly movie news, reviews, box office analysis, and classic film recommendations.