Special Coverage The Photo IssueThe Must List2008 Fall TV2008 Fall Movies2008 Fall Music
By Josh Wolk
Josh Wolk
Josh Wolk
Josh Wolk is a senior writer at EW and the author of ''Cabin Pressure: One Man's Desparate Attempt to Recapture His Youth as a Camp Counselor''

Five major films are debuting on Christmas, eager to grab the last dollars of 1998. (Some of these, however, are only opening in limited release, and will expand nationally in January.) EW Online asked box office experts for their takes on these newbies' prospects, and balanced those views with EW critics' grades.

  • A Civil Action Pairing a bankable star like John Travolta with a best-seller doesn't always work ("Primary Colors," anyone?), but this film based on Jonathan Harr's 1995 nonfiction legal drama has already been winning over critics, as well as landing a best supporting actor Golden Globe nomination for Robert Duvall. "This is mainstream moviemaking at its best," says CNN film analyst Martin Grove, who chose "Action" as his favorite film of 1998 and thinks its prospects are excellent. "It will be driven by reviews and awards." (EW's review was a middling C+.)
  • Stepmom This Julia Roberts/Susan Sarandon dramedy has all the elements for success: two popular female leads, a family theme, and just the right amount of weeping to bring in that influential female audience, says Exhibitor Relations president Paul Dergarabedian. "A lot of times," he says, "women make the decision on what movie their group is going to see." (Female EW critic Lisa Schwarzbaum made the decision to give the film a lowly D.)
  • Patch Adams In playing the titular real-life doctor, Williams gets to highlight two personalities that have scored before: the antic ("Mrs. Doubtfire") and the dewy-eyed ("Good Will Hunting"). Sure, Williams' feverish yanking at funny bones and heartstrings in "Patch" may be irritating critics (a thoroughly peeved EW gave it an F), but preview audiences have been laughing and crying on cue. "You can't count Williams out," says Dergarabedian. "He consistently opens movies."
  • Mighty Joe Young Disney is strongly marketing this Charlize Theron/Bill Paxton remake of the 1949 ape movie as a family-friendly adventure, and that upbeat take could help. "Lighter-hearted kids' fare like 'The Rugrats Movie' and 'A Bug's Life' have done well," says Dergarabedian, as opposed to darker-themed children's flicks like "Babe: Pig in the City" and "The Prince of Egypt." "Joe" will also get a boost from being the only new fare for youngsters. (The young-at-heart EW gave it a C.)
  • The Thin Red Line A platoon of star cameos (including John Travolta and George Clooney) might not rescue the year's second WWII film, which focuses more on gorgeous imagery than on a straightforward story and sharply delineated characters. "'Saving Private Ryan' is prose," says Grove. "This film is poetry, and free-form poetry at that." While film buffs are anxious to see director Terrence Malick's first film since 1978's "Days of Heaven," Grove says the average moviegoer doesn't know who he is and will be turned off by the sluggish, nearly three-hour film: "This movie is not a first-rate, knock-em-dead dramatic entertainment." (EW's Owen Gleiberman knows who Malick is and gave the film a B.)

Posted Dec 23, 1998 | Order Article Reprints