Box Office: Amy and the Ant (Man)
Sunday, July 19, 2015 at 12:00PM 
It was a good week to be Amy Schumer. Thursday saw her among the Best Actress nominees at the Emmys from a very competitive field and the very next day her first star vehicle movie (which she also wrote) opened to great numbers, even slightly higher than those for the more established female comic headlining a summer movie, Melissa McCarthy in Spy (which has had solid staying power and recently topped $100 million)
It was also a decent week to be Marvel Studios executives, too. Despite low grosses (comparatively for Marvel) a $57 million opening for Ant-Man has to be considered a big success given a) the characters microscopic profile in pop culture, b) a non bankable star -- Paul Rudd is well-loved but he has never been a box office draw c) a troubled production history and d) a release date in the summer in which people are just starting to be critical of Marvel Studios after ten years of drooling all over anything they did.
And of course it continued to be great summer to be Jurassic World which has amassed a simply spectacular fortune despite being merely an OK retread. Every other movie that's grossed over $500 million has had a lot more going for it in terms of newness or critical raves. I'm not trying to be mean -- it's hardly the worst movie in the top ten of all time (that honor belongs to Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace or Shrek 2) -- but the distinct probability that it could threaten Titanic's (1997) domestic gross to become the second most popular movie of all time (if you don't adjust for inflation) is unthinkable and quite depressing. So let's not think about it and become depressed...
Happy thoughts then: What was most wonderful about your weekend?
BOX OFFICE
Early Estimates. July 17th-19th Weekend
01 Ant-Man $57.5 NEW WIDE
02 Minions $47 (cum. $213.4) Tim on the Minions phenom
03 Trainwreck $30 NEW WIDE
04 Inside Out $11 (cum. $305) Inside Out Articles
05 Jurassic World $10.4 (cum. $610.1) Jurassic Articles
06 Terminator Genisys $5 (cum. $80) Review
07 Magic Mike XXL $4.4 (cum. $58.5) Review
08 The Gallows $3.8 (cum. $17.8)
09 Ted 2 $2.3 (cum. $77)
10 Mr Holmes $2.2 NEW LIMITED
Reader Comments (78)
http://www.forharriet.com/2015/05/stop-using-black-womens-bodies-to-make.html#axzz3gMH5InKs
http://sherights.com/2015/04/17/you-should-be-outraged-at-amy-schumers-video-not-laughing-at-it/
Amy Schumer, but of course this is not problematic, this is freaking hilarious.
Amy Schumer: Makes fun of Black women names, apes a white male fetishing of Asian women, calls men of color rapists.
But White so called feminists attack women of color for having issues with schumer. Really????
Nikki -- agree to disagree. I think these articles are really trying to be outraged about something that is not all that problematic (at least not moreso than what it's satirizing). FACT: hip hop videos have been using women's bodies this way for decades. MY OPINION: it would be extremely strange for a cultural satirist interested in feminism and gender politics to ignore this. And what's more they'd be a terrible satirist if they pretended this wasn't this case.
I've been reading quite a bit about how Amy Schumer not being racially sensitive enough and as somehow who is willing to get up in arms when he feels its appropriate about racially sensitive stuff (there's obviously a lot of racism out there - i"ve been horrified daily -- nay hourly -- for the past 8 years by how crazy racist so many Americans revealed themselves to be once we had the bright shining spotlight of a black president in the White House) but I think Amy Schumer is a *really* weird and unfortunate target for this kind of outrage. It reminds me of outrage for outrage's sake without looking at context.
For example: there are two racial jokes in "Trainwreck". If you don't watch the movie you'd likely say "there she goes again!" if you wanted to be offended by her. But if you actually watch the movie and see the jokes in context it's 100% obvious that what is being ridiculed is not black people but clueless white people.
It's all about context but the internet doesn't like context anymore. They just want to be upset.
I'm sorry but Saying hip hop videos have been using women bodies like this for decades (people have been having a problem with this for decades) is a poor excuse to absolve Amy Schumer of any wrongdoing. I'm sorry but in a world where white women are held on pedestals and women of color especially Black women are deemed as ghetto, angry and fat. I have issues with Amy Schumer and don't find her funny.
I understand context very well Nathaniel , I'm not an idiot. So what was the context of Hispanic men being rapists? It appears to me that her defenders are ignoring her problematic jokes.
@Nikki don't waste your time trying to tell white people that their beloveds are issues is like talking to a brick wall. They will never understand and the response oh Hip Hop videos do it. WTF. We're only attacking Amy, but she can attack us on a bigger platform daily, but that's ok because she's funny.
Nikki -- so should a satirist avoid the offensive aspects of pop culture? Or is your objection just that Amy is white and only a black female comedienne should be allowed to comment on this?
That second article really offends me. It tries to equate her dumb childlike joke of "fudge-machine" to homophobia and even takes offense with "milk milk lemonade" which dates back as long as i've been alive as a dumb schoolyard easily-titillated kids joke about bodies. This is what i'm talking about with pick your battles and being too easily offended. I am a gay man and I never once thought "Amy Schumer is making fun of gay people" or "Amy is ridiculing women's bodies". And when it comes to the homophobia claim, by the very logic of these articles which keeps pointing to who is allowed to have opinions about such things -- I have a helluva more of a right to judge that than either of these female writers do as a gay man.
Amy is just using toilet humor for laughs which comedians have since the dawn of time. I don't personally think toilet humor is all that funny but in this case i laughed because it's so heightened and ridiculous. Maybe it just comes down to having a sense of humor about sex, and the ways' people fetisihize bodies which obviously are multi-purpose.
@nathaniel
As a women of color, White women do Not have the right to make fun of Black women's body. Yes I am offended and I am sick and tired of it.
Or are you suggesting that black women have no right to be offended by her? Are you a white male telling me how I should feel about Amy Schumer using Black women's bodies as props?
Melissa & Nikki -- i am on your side. I am a feminist and the rampart racism in our culture disgusts me. We just disagree on Amy schumer. But I do have to ask what is the point of ignoring larger cultural issues (sexism) to feel even worse about other issues (racism)? Saying White women are put on pedestals may be true comparatively but it's actually enormously misleading: Sexism is rampant. Women are judged all the time, not just black women. The only white women who are put on pedestals are within a tiny age range sliver and body type. Hell, people online (some even famous bloggers) are always calling Amy Schumer fat and ugly and she even brilliantly made that a whole sketch on her show (12 Angry Men) so shouldn't we celebrate that she celebrates her own sexuality body type rather than refusing to play the patriarchy's game of "she's not hot enough to have sex/talk about sex/display sex"
as for the "hispanic men being rapists" i'm not familiar with the joke and i refuse to judge things out of context because knowing Amy's show and the other jokes she's made that people have misinterpreted wantonly (like saying Trainwreck is racist when the jokes are actually about white women objectifying or being clueless about black people, not about black people themselves) I don't want to be part of the problem.
But if i run into this joke in context, and its awful, perhaps I'll change my tune.
@Nathaniel not at the expense of women of color.
For example, the same Awardswatch forum who were outraged at people calling Amy fat and ugly were the same ones who called Uzo Aduba fat and ugly.
Nikki: I really 100% don't think that the Milk Milk Lemonade video is making fun of black women's bodies. It isn't even making fun of women's bodies. It's making fun of fetishization, and I think it's pretty brilliant. But I won't argue that a joke can be seen from a variety of perspectives.
Her "consensual" joke is problematic, for sure. But the line that Amy walks, I'd argue usually successfully, when dealing in stereotype is a tricky one, and I think it's important for comics to make us think about our own stereotypes.
What annoys me with this kind of outrage, which seems directed way more often at women (Dunham, Silverman, Lily Allen) than men, is the idea that a few offensive jokes can erase the value of a person who's actually saying some important things. She's not exactly Andrew Dice Clay. The woman wrote Football Town Nights and Last Effable Day. I'd rather have those in the world than not.
Ant-Man. I saw Ant-Man.
Nikki -- this is not Awardswatch forum. I think Uzo is awespme. and this is the first i've heard of something thinking she is "fat"... weird. but yeah that is a gross double standard.
Mike -- Thanks for this
that's probably what I should have added to what I was saying.I agree that female comics get far more dissing when they risk provocation than men. And it's one of the many things i despise about outrage culture that we're supposed to be erase someone of all value the minute they offend us. I get sad when people immediately do this or immediately zone other people off ("you couldn't possibly understand because _______") because it just ends conversation which is what we all need.
Ian -- LOL. I should have. but it'll have to wait until Monday.
No offense but I would prefer for a Woman of color preferably Black to chime in on Milk milk Lemonade. The fact that all the women who n the video is Black isn't a problem. Really? No offense but anyone else would not remotely understand the outrage. I use to date Hispanics but I prefer consensual Amy Schumer.
I don't understand how anyone can't see that as problematic. If we lived in a world where everyone are equal that would be great, but unfortunately we don't and pushing off jokes like these are not helpfully l they're harmful.
The problem I have with the responses is that anything that has to do with women are always about White women.yes we are all women,but let's not pretend that their isn't a difference between White women and Women of color. When Whte women are harmful to women of color, no one cares THAT is an issue. Now instead of criticizing Schumer for being harmful to people of color, now we are talking about how hard it is for White females comediennes. Let's just ignore the little issue with women of color. This happens over and over again and it is frustrating. Some people wonder why we see white men and women in the same light.
This weekend I worked ahead on future Supporting Actress Smackdowns. "On the Waterfront" bored me to tears, but I thought "Lilies of the Field" was a surprise and a delight.
Amy Schumer herself posted a series of explanations for her jokes and eloquently stated that her jokes are often meant to create the very conversation that is being had right now. She is portraying a character, a ignorant white girl which is unfortunately all too common, in order to create a talking point. That is exactly the definition of satire.
I am not a person of color so I cannot speak to the personal history and feelings attached to jokes like these, but I do think it is important to look at how Amy speaks about her comedy. In a recent interview in Australia she stated that she is on the good side and brining up these points in order to show how ridiculous it is that anyone would think like this, and I personally think it's working.
Amy is breaking down so many barriers in comedy and Hollywood for so many different body types, sexualities, races, everything. There's a beautiful line in her new film where a stereotypically WASP like woman is discussing how she allowed her son to watch glee and was shocked by the homosexual nature of the show and how she hadn't even told her kid what gay people are to which Amy responds, "I don't know maybe that they are people."
And that is what Amy is about, allowing all individuals to live their lives free of judgement.
O gee Amy the great White Savior let's all thank her for bringing us all together.
Jesus Christ, I am continuously baffled at how the seemingly incessant internet outrage is always directed at artists who are continuously trying to break down barriers rather than build them up. Amy Schumer is a brilliant satirist, plain and simple, and to continuously berate and criticize her is to miss her point entirely. Good good the world is not only getting dumber but is also losing her ability to laugh and recognize humor. Oscar Wilde is turning over in his grave.
I don't find Schumer's defense of her comedy (written or spoken) has done her many favors - the "you guys don't get it - I'm OBVIOUSLY not racist, so my comedy can't be either" line (also known as "I'm one of the good guys/on the right side" defense) is one that doesn't really work. It creates a base level assumption of "racist" as a measurable personality characteristic and implies racism as solely an intentional act. Well-intentioned people can still do or say things that result in real harm for others; sometimes "allies" are the people who perpetrate the most violence against the people they claim they want to help. When you aren't a member of the "target" group, I do not believe that you are entitled to regulate what is/isn't offensive or dictate how your statements/work must be received.
As an art form, comedy often intends to provoke - discussion, strong reactions, offense, etc. So the question becomes at what cost? As a white person, it is much easier to disengage intellectually from the felt impact of racially-charged words and iconography - it is the nature of lived experience that certain words or images may have disparate impact on the listener/viewer (e.g. the n-word being triggering/related to trauma for black people in a way that it isn't for white people). So you can create "smart" satire and still find that the tools you use to achieve it inspire gut-level offense and outrage in some people. This is to be expected. What we're left with is deciding if the larger point merits the invocation of such potentially painful imagery. And as we're seeing all over the internet, there are all kinds of different answers to that question. No one is definitively "wrong", and no one is definitively "right". To jump on an example that I had no idea until these comments had provoked outrage, I don't Schumer could have made her point in the "Milk Milk Lemonade" video in any other way. Strong satire uses the iconography of the topic being satirized and exaggerates it. But was Schumer the ideal person to be making the commentary in the first place? Maybe not. The "perfectly acceptable to the internet outrage machine" version of this is probably Sasheer Zamata, Jessica Williams, Nicole Byer, Retta, or another well-known black female comedian performing in this video as a segment on Key and Peele. I get why that wouldn't happen - Schumer has a livelihood to maintain and a show to put on. Everything she does necessarily has to have her at the center of it. Her sharing of lead vocals with Amber Rose was enough to put me on the "pro" side with respect to "Milk Milk Lemonade" - with that gesture, black women were not solely relegated to the background as props but instead actively shared in the authorship of the overall commentary.
So do I think Schumer deserves these "she's the devil incarnate" think pieces and criticisms that are being launched her way? No I do not. We have a bad habit of spending more time discussing the imperfections of those who try to dismantle a racist and patriarchal system than we do directing our commentary at those gleefully content with the status quo (see: the multitude of outraged think pieces that were spawned by Emma Watson's feminist declaration at the UN). It is a LOT to ask that any public figure be "perfect", particularly with such massive disagreement over what a "perfect" feminism looks like. Yes, white feminists have a long legacy of prioritizing issues that matter to white women and consistently framing conversations about "women" in such a way as to silence women of color's voices and perspectives. This is not ok. We should absolutely speak out when we see that happening (sorry Patricia Arquette, but you walked right into that one at the Oscars). But when we focus on tearing down and discrediting every white woman who speaks out rather than remains silent on topics of race (or gender or sexuality or social justice generally), we make it easier for those in power to continue ignoring pleas for equality. No one gets a "free pass", but the balance of the discussions can be tipped toward attacking those that undoubtedly merit it (*cough* Bobby Jindal *cough* the Duggars *cough*) for their preaching of hate, and also toward education and collaboration.
I saw Ant-Man *and* Trainwreck. The first was much better than I had expected. Rudd has charms to spare and though MANY have already said this, the "smaller scale" of the film is to its credit.
The second film was good. I knew it would be and funny as well. I did think it probably needed more time in the editing room. Does any rom com actually need to be more than 2 hours?
Of course, More people who aren't women of color defends Amy Schumer. No one is saying Amy Schumer is the devil but some of her work is problematic and above all she just isn't funny. We're just angry Black women who shouldn't voice our opinion.
@thank you RJ for that response and no no one expects anyone to be perfect, but the fact that Whites don't understand how these images and jokes can be problematic for people of color is disheartening.
So Amy made a video poking fun at/displaying her issue with the fetishization of women's bodies in hip-hop culture, with a little bit of ribbing on the often ridiculous lyrics accompanying hit songs. Why the outrage?
Also, I saw both Ant-Man and Trainwreck. Ant-Man was fun/funny without being overly memorable (and the sub-atomic stuff was more than a little silly) and Trainwreck was generally on track (excuse the pun) with its humor although a bit strained at times. Hader made for a surprisingly charming co-lead.
@aaron Amy Schumer is another mediocre white chick who you and the media put on a pedestal to shove down our throats much like Jennifer Lawrence. Forget her problematic nature or that we have a bunch of men telling Black women how we should feel about her jokes. There are many more women Black, Asian and White who are funnier and deserves just as much success as she has and even more because they actually make me laugh, Amy Schumer does not.
@Teppo2 she also inferred that Hispanic men are rapists but none of that matters let's celebrate the White Woman.
Hey everyone we are trying to tear down Amy Schumer. The great White women. We do not find her funny , we find some of her material problematic, we are not trying to discuss how White women and images can harm women of color because that never happens. The only thing we want to do is attack the White woman. Lets stay silent women of color and not criticize but only praise this White woman.
Signed
ANGRY Black Chick
Yes let's go back to Oscar Wilde days where racial unjust was even more prevalent then today. Where are voices were silenced with Nooses. Where our unpopular opinions about White folk would land us up the river. Oscar Wilde is probably spinning in his grave because we have a Black president.
@Aaron this isn't a blog where diverse opinions and perspectives from people of all color can participate in even in disagreement. I didn't know that, I will keep my unpopular opinion about Amy Schumer to myself then before being called out of being a hater or even worse they're on a witch hunt for Amy Schumer. Because criticism nowadays equates to attacking and tearing someone down.
"Terminator : Who Cares?!" which at times plays like an expensive diy film made by a rich fan boy ( which it is) they basically remade the first movie with some parts from the second thrown but the director lacks Cameron's energy and vision to pull it off. The convoluted screenplay makes little sense and the cast except for Arnold in his iconic role is wrong.
Melissa & Nikki - really? this conversation is disheartening. I am proud that we have such a civil blog and that it's ( generally speaking cuz no one is perfect all the time ) progressive and pro-women, and anti-allthatgross stuff that divides people like racism/sexism/xenophobia
and i think you know this so you most also know that saying something like "this isn't a blog where diverse opinions and perspective from people of color can participate" is going to hurt us.
which is too bad.
But i get when people are upset they sometimes lash out in friendly environments too. But where we point anger, even when it's justified, is crucial. That's all people are arguing when they wonder why people are this angry at Amy Schumer. So I guess what I'm saying is: let's cool it with equating Oscar Wilde with racism and lynching when he himself was severely mistreated and jailed because he was a minority without the same rights that straight white men enjoyed. That's just... well my jaw dropped a little... don't wanna throw the word homophobic out but WHAT THE HOLY FUCK?
peace out.
@nathaniel I'm pretty sure none of us would want to live in the 1800s which is what I was getting at. There are Black people who are homophobic and there are White gays who are racist.
the day the film experience turned into ONTD.
Wow. Just wow at this thread. I'm a person of colour and I love Amy Schumer. I think she's funny.
I will compose a more proper comment soon but I had to express my disbelief at how Melissa and Nikki trolled this post—yes, that's what you did, you trolled it. I could even suspect Melissa and Nikki are the same person or they're in the same room. Haha. Anyhow, take a chill pill women and if you want to hate on Amy, that's fine, but your tone expressed here is highly neurotic. Haven't seen such neurosis here since Meryl Streep ran for her third Oscar. .
@Marcelo oh ok racial issues only pertain to ONTD. Black women sharing their opinions only pertains to ONTD Thanks. Or are you trying to say us Black women are unsophisticated and ghetto like ONTD?
@Nathaniel I never mentioned Wilde so what are you getting at? I was asking Aaron about that since he basically called people idiots for not "understanding the brilliance " of Amy Schumer. THANKS
@Jones yes You are the model Poc probably not a Black female but go on. I am a troll and angry and all Black women are the same. thanks. There you have it someone finally reduced me to a troll/ hater for not liking Amy Schumer.
I associate ONTD with this 'demonizing' tendency (this selective demonizing of women, btw).
Welcome to the world of political correctness run amok. (So much for free speech, freedom of expression, and free to be you and me.) I don't recall this kind of outrage when Dave Chapelle had his (brilliant) show on Comedy Central, and consider Amy Schumer to be in a similar vein of (brilliant) comedy. But hey, that's just one individual's opinion, and we still are allowed to have and express them freely the last time I checked. (P.S. Barack Obama is more than simply a Black president, he's a biracial human being.)
@marcelo oh ok having issues with someone jokes is demonizing Criticism is demonizing. When black women criticizes White women we are demonizing them and attacking them.The angry Blackchick. Now I am getting angry. So Amy Schumer is above criticism? Calling someone fat and ugly is demonizing them.
I also went to see Ant Man. Nat, I can´t wait to read your opinion about it. It was really good, IMO but I still hold Winter Soldier as the best Marvel pic overall. Best thing about Ant Man for me was Michael Peña and the last battle.
I opened the thread hoping for some innocent, simple Jurassic World bashing, but, boy...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FONN-0uoTHI
@Mareko, so you are allowed to express yourself and have freedom of speech, Amy Schumer is allowed to do the same, but I don't have that same right to criticize and express my opinion. Is that what you are saying?
I'm no amy fan and I'm not sure I buy the "my joke is on the dumb white chick, not on the hispanics" excuse, but ONTD is a demonizing website (some of the targets 'deserve' it? sure).
Attacking, and demonizing people because they do not like Amy Schumer is lame. That is what I see here. No one is above criticism.
The dino movie is soon to surpass both Titanic (domestic) and The Avengers (international) when it comes to the money factor! That's huge!
All I see here is people attacking and demonizing others for not liking Amy Schumer. That is lame and disappointing.
Of course lets silence those Black detractors.
Dear the filmexperience,
I am a Black woman and I live in a world where my adorable younger cousin wants to bleach her skin because she is "too dark". Where my natural hair is not accepted and is considered unkempt. Where my black friend does not want to date black women because they are "ghetto and loud". Where being a lesbian is much more difficult when you are Black, where being overweight is more difficult when you are Black. Where White feminists constantly ignore women of color and expect us to automatically embrace them. I'm sorry, but this is the world Iive in and I will Never apologize for criticizing a White woman's harmful joke. You can call me a troll or a hater or angry.
Whatever,
Peace