Welcome to Boom, Bust, or Meh, ladies and gentlemen! This is where we focus on five films released during the month and have some fun predicting their success! As with every BBoM article, each film receives one of the following scores from each participating GUG film critic:
Boom: A film you’ll remember for the rest of the year.
Bust: A film you’ll regret watching.
Meh: A film that entertains during the moment, but has no lasting impact.
At the end of each month, each of the films will be arbitrarily judged and the critic’s ongoing tally will be updated.
The Results
Before we get to our film predictions for September, let us take a look at the outcome of last month’s predictions!
1. Ice Cream Man – Bust
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 26%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 46%
IMDB Score: 3.8
Box Office
Production Budget: $5.5 million
Worldwide: $5.7 million
With an abysmal script that wasn’t witty enough to push against the level of violence, it left the film as merely a gore fest with absolutely nothing to say.
2. The End of Oak Street – Meh
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 86%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 77%
IMDB Score: 6.6
Box Office
Production Budget: $85 million
Worldwide: $105 million
Many praised this dinosaur flick for finally delivering what the Jurassic Park franchise has been trying for years, although it’s ultimately nothing more than an empty guilty pleasure.
3. The Brink of War – Meh
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 72%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 86%
IMDB Score: 6.6
Box Office
Production Budget: $21 million
Worldwide: $5 million
While historical and informative, critics did find this drama to be stiff and too on-the-nose with its script.
4. The Dog Stars – Meh
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 39%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 71%
IMDB Score: 6.5
Box Office
Budget: $110 million
Worldwide: $19 million
Languid with a lethargic plot, the story offers nothing new to the genre aside from some gorgeous scenery.
5. Coyote vs. Acme – BOOM!
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 96%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 95%
IMDB Score: 7.7
Box Office
Budget: $70 million
Worldwide: $16 million
Witty and satirical, the film is a silly yet extraordinarily fun watch filled with fan favourites.
New Releases
Each “Boom, Bust, or Meh” article will include each writer’s current record next to their name (number of correct guesses – number of incorrect guesses).
Fall 2: Deadpoint
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: September 2, 2026
Synopsis: Grieving her sister Shiloh’s death, Jax Hunter bonds with Shiloh’s bold friend Luce. Together they tackle dangerous Mount Kwan in Thailand. When a rockslide traps them on a narrow plank 4,000 feet up, Jax must face her fears to survive. (IMDB)
Directors: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
Starring: Virginia Gardner, Tom Brittney, Grace Caroline Currey
The Predictions
Juliana Purnell (238-193): Meh – Nope! Nope, nope, nope. Man, just the trailer gives me anxiety! Fall was an unexpected hit. It was an expertly told, neat and contained survival thriller. Yet what really pushed it over the edge wasn’t the premise alone, but rather the sneaky twist. I have no doubts this sequel will replicate that nervous energy surrounding the idea of being stuck in a horrible place, feeding into the audience’s fear of heights, but can lightning strike twice with pulling off a twist as well? What’s the defining feature with these films? I just have a feeling that if there’s a twist, and if it’s too hackneyed, critics will call it out.
The Uprising
Rating: R
Release Date: September 11, 2026
Synopsis: Based on the true story of the uprising that inspired the legend of Robin Hood, Andrew Garfield stars as the leader of a rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II in a fight for justice. (IMDB)
Director: Paul Greengrass
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Jamie Bell, Stephen Dillane
The Predictions
Juliana Purnell (238-193): BOOM! – Original content. Directed by Oscar nominee, Paul Greengrass. Starring Andrew Garfield. Just on paper this looks good. I think what will really determine if this will be a hit or not is whether it taps into modern society’s inner rage towards the cost-of-living crisis. If viewers can find the emotions expressed in this medieval tale relatable, then there’s no reason why this shouldn’t succeed through word of mouth.
Resident Evil
Rating: R
Release Date: September 18, 2026
Synopsis: Follows a hapless courier tasked with delivering a package to a remote hospital. He soon finds himself caught in the middle of an outbreak and must fight through hordes of mutated creatures to survive. (IMDB)
Director: Zach Cregger
Starring: Austin Abrams, Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry
The Predictions
Juliana Purnell (238-193): BOOM! – The Resident Evil films had run their course, getting more and more ridiculous and convoluted. So the vibe of this new approach, where it follows just this ordinary dude that’s in the wrong place at the wrong time, is so refreshing. Director and writer Zach Cregger has always been strong with his characters and has a proven ability to hold the viewer’s attention, it’s just he doesn’t always tidy up his messaging. In this case, I don’t think it matters all too much—I predict fans will praise this as being the best film to come out of this franchise.
The Weight
Rating: R
Release Date: September 18, 2026
Synopsis: Desperate to save what is left of his family, during the height of the Great Depression a battle-scarred veteran is hired to help smuggle a fortune in gold across 100 miles of impenetrable wilderness. (IMDB)
Director: Padraic McKinley
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Russell Crowe, Julia Jones
The Predictions
Juliana Purnell (238-193): BOOM! – This film contains one of those stories that feels like it could become an instant classic. Driven by a phenomenal cast, its inclusion in Sundance, and the fact the trailer doesn’t spoil the entire movie, instead teasing this mix of crime, drama, psychological thriller, and survival horror, The Weight comes across as mature and compelling filmmaking. I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes an Oscar contender.
Forgotten Island
Rating: PG
Release Date: September 25, 2026
Synopsis: Two best friends become stranded on the mystical world of Nakali, where their only escape might cost them their shared lifetime of memories. (IMDB)
Directors: Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado
Starring: Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto
The Predictions
Juliana Purnell (238-193): Meh – I get the impression that behind the zippy animation style there’s a lovely heartfelt message, it’s just the trailer is really struggling to convey what this film is really about. The problem I see is that the protagonists are adults dealing with an issue that’s entrenched within a certain time in life (transitioning between high school and college), yet the majority of the story is set in a place that appears to appeal more to a younger demographic. I foresee parents bringing their kids to this movie, but neither are really going to get the most out of the narrative, although eventually young adults/older teens might come around. It’s a viewer and advertising problem, one that will hamper the success of the film.
Thanks for reading this month’s edition! Let us know your predictions in the comment section. Join us next month for another edition of “Boom, Bust, or Meh!”