Weekend Box-Office Report: August 12-14, 2011

Apes “Rise” to the Top Spot Again

Despite several notable new offerings, Rise of the Planet of the Apes remained atop the weekend box-office list for a second consecutive week (a feat accomplished only twice this summer by Thor and Transformers 3).  Based off of solid results thus far as well as generally positive critical and audience reviews, the studio and filmmakers have begun talks for a sequel, possibly as a new Planet of the Apes trilogy.  If they’re able to at least replicate the quality of this origins story in sequels, then definitely bring them on!

As for this past weekend’s newest releases, the cinematic adaptation of The Help somewhat surprisingly finished in the number two spot on the charts, closely behind Rise, with a strong showing comfortably above Final Destination 5 and the disappointing 30 Minutes or Less, which made the third and sixth spots, respectively.  The feel-good drama over-performed, probably thanks to a The Blind Side vibe, strong marketing, and a talented cast to boot.  The fifth installment of the “what other cool/bizarre ways can we kill people?” franchise actually got some of its best reviews, but audiences seem to be less taken in by it than in the past as this hopefully will be the final theatrical release for the series.  Unfortunately, the based-on-real-events bank robbery comedy turned out to be a disappointment for many, and this clearly shows in the underwhelming box-office results.  The weekend’s other major new release Glee: The 3D Concert Movie didn’t even crack the top ten, garnering only $5.7 million in eleventh place.  The three films that fell from the top ten this past weekend included Horrible Bosses ($110M), Friends With Benefits ($53M), and Transformers: Dark of the Moon ($347M).

Film Review: 30 Minutes or Less (2011)

Talk about a polarizing movie: some critics have called it a hysterical, albeit preposterous, comedy (even the summer’s funniest?) while others have stated that if its runtime was as short as its title then it still would have been overlong and disappointing.  Regrettably, I tend to agree with the latter assessment.  As an action movie, it is lackluster; as a comedy, it is mediocre – you will either describe it as mindlessly hilarious or find it simply mindless and only chuckle-worthy.  Despite a lean 83-minute runtime that has almost no scene that fails to move the plot forward, watching it is still a bit of a drag.  Coming from Ruben Fleischer, director of the breakout comedy Zombieland (2009), you would expect this movie to be highly stylized and energetic.  However, 30 Minutes or Less (2011) is a drab production with undeveloped, patience-testing characters and no resolution; what’s more, it is only sporadically funny.  The term “a-musing” is an apt description for the comedy: an entertaining diversion without thought.  Figuratively, 30 Minutes or Less delivers on time but its product is largely stale and tasteless.

Monthly Watch List: August 2011

Not all of the following movies are highly anticipated or worth a viewing at all, let alone in theaters.  Still, the purpose of these monthly watch lists is to present what is available and offer a conclusion of whether or not to see the film, usually based on the filmmakers’ pedigrees and current consensus about it.  Also important to note while reading or skimming the list is that not all will be released in a theater near you on the mentioned date; take note of the “Limited” label.

The dog days of summer have arrived and with it the often lackluster lot of August movies.  Several notable, big budget films will be released this month but they seem, for the most part, mediocre and destined to hit the B-movie shelf.  However, occasionally some gems are hidden at the end of the summer so don’t simply dismiss this month’s movies.  Still, none of the films coming out this August are “can’t miss,” even if they’re listed with the “highly anticipated” label or worth seeing.  In essence, August can be labeled a sleeper month – either viewers will fall asleep at the movies or the movies will go from under-the-radar/cheesy-looking to sleeper hits.  Have a good month!

Also, don’t forget about limited releases from June or July that might open to a wider release and a theater near you, such as The Tree of Life, Attack the Block, and The Guard (for more information on these and other previously limited releases refer to the other Monthly Watch Lists.)