After a decade of bit parts, many of them within the gainful employ of Steven Soderbergh’s production company, Viola Davis broke into the mainstream with a movie-stealing turn – and from Meryl Streep! – in 2008’s Catholic Church child abuse drama Doubt. Davis has all of 10 minutes of screen time in Doubt but earned an Oscar nomination for her work, joining the likes of Ruby Dee for American Gangster or Ned Beatty for Network of Oscar nominees who made the most out of their single-scene appearances. Yet, Davis forms Doubt’s emotional pillar, powerfully delivering social and cultural history that further obfuscates the film’s central mystery.
Davis has been releasing multiple movies a year ever since, frequently playing women of power or high up in their professions, in the likes of Law Abiding Citizen, Knight & Day, Ender’s Game, and Suicide Squad, as Amanda Waller, one of that movie’s rare bright spots. And Davis has frequently reached the same heights as Doubt in Certified Fresh films like Widows, The Help (receiving a Lead Actress nomination), and Fences, for which she won a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award. Davis got another Lead Actress nom for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and she returned as Waller for James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. And now, we’re ranking all Viola Davis movies by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo
Featured image: Jessica Miglio / © Warner Bros. / courtesy Everett Collection
(Photo by Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection)
How many times now have we seen the fanfare of an “And Introducing…” in the credits of a movie, only to never hear of that person ever again? If you can’t think of any examples, that’s exactly the point.
But not so for Jessica Chastain. She would not fall casualty to this Madden cover curse of star billing, after her “And Introducing…” leading debut of 2008’s Jolene. The movie only got 48%, so it didn’t set the world on fire, but Chastain came back two years later with Stolen…which got 0%. Improbably, this only set the stage for a wild 5-movie Certified Fresh streak that would launch her career, featuring Coriolanus, The Tree of Life, The Help, The Debt, and Take Shelter.
Almost hard to believe Chastain has only been active on-screen for just over a decade, but she’s capitalized on her early Certified Fresh windfall. The Help got her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nom, and the next year she upgraded to competing in the Best Actress field for Zero Dark Thirty, which would go on to win Best Picture. Interstellar and The Martian made her synonymous with deep space hijinks (as if Tree of Life didn’t already), while Miss Sloane and Molly’s Game exhibits her style of high-level intensity.
Most recently, she was in HBO Max’s Scenes From a Marriage and notched an Oscar nom for Eyes of Tammy Faye. Now, we’re ranking Jessica Chastain’s movies and series by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo
(Photo by Universal/ courtesy Everett Collection)
Rotten Tomatoes is celebrating the work of Black filmmakers and performers and the stories they have brought to our theaters over the past 20-plus years. In this guide to the best-reviewed African American movies of the 21st Century – that’s from 2000 all the way to now – you’ll find some of the most incredible voices working in movies today, and some of the most game-changing, industry-shaking films to hit theaters in decades. Think titles like Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther, the fourth highest-grossing movie of all time at the U.S. box office. Or Gina Prince-Bythewood’s seminal star-making romance, Love and Basketball. Or Moonlight, which made history as the first film with an all-black cast to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2017. Or Ava DuVernay’s Selma, one of the most critically acclaimed films of all time.
Alongside the work of longtime industry veterans like Spike Lee, you’ll find incredible debut features, like Dee Rees’ Pariah, Justin Simien’s Dear White People, Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You, Phillip Youmens’ Burning Cane, which he directed while still in high school, and, of course, Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning social thriller Get Out and his follow-up, Us. You’ll also discover documentaries that have stirred the national conversation – DuVernay’s 13th, Ezra Edelman’s O.J.: Made In America – alongside recent mega hits that, like Black Panther, alerted Hollywood’s decision-makers to the fact that there was a huge audience for stories made by Black filmmakers, featuring Black actors, telling Black stories: Malcolm D. Lee’s Girls Trip, F. Gary Gray’s Straight Outta Compton.
To compile our list, we chose the top 100 Certified Fresh Black films, according to the Tomatometer, released in theaters since 2000. We defined Black films as those that centered on African American stories and African American characters, or – as in the case of Black Panther – were made by Black filmmakers and were embraced by African American audiences; there are instances of films here made by non-Black filmmakers (Django Unchained, Detroit, and Get On Up for example), but the top half of the list is dominated by Black writers and directors.
Finally, we ranked the movies using a weighted formula which takes into account each entry’s year of release and its number of reviews collected to weigh their Tomatometer ratings. The latest Certified Fresh films from 2021 include The Harder They Fall, King Richard, Passing, Candyman, Judas the Black Messiah and more.
Below is the result of all that compiling: our guide to the best Black films of the century (so far!). It’s chock full of laughs, thrills, tears, and insight. Enjoy, and if you want to tell us what you think of the list, think we’ve missed a title, or want to celebrate a film that didn’t quite meet the Certified Fresh criteria, let us know in the comments.
(Photo by Marvel Studios / Disney, 20th Century Fox, Miramax, TriStar)
For their bravery, wit, general badassery, and unbroken spirit in the face of enormous challenges (be they gender discrimination or acid-hissing aliens), we pay tribute to 87 Fearless Movie Women Who Inspire Us.
How did we arrive at our top 87? With the help of a fearless panel of women critics made up of some of the best writers in the industry, including a few on the Rotten Tomatoes staff. Starting with a long list of candidates, they whittled down the list to an initial set of 72 amazingly heroic characters and ordered them, crowning the most fearless woman movie hero in the process. Want to know more about the ladies who voted? We included their bios at the end! Then, in addition to their contributions, which make up the bulk of the list, we also added a handful of more recent entries chosen by the RT staff.
The final list (you can watch every movie in a special FandangoNOW collection) gives compelling insight into which heroes have resonated through the years, women whose big-screen impact remains even as the times change. We have the usual suspects along with plenty of surprises (Working Girl, your day has come!), and the only way to discover them all is reading on for the 87 fearless women movie heroes — and groups of heroes — who inspire us!
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp.)
#1One of the appeals of science-fiction is the luxury to comment on modern issues and social mores, or even eschew them completely. Take a look at the diverse space crews in Star Trek, Sunshine, or Alien, where people are hired based on nothing but competence, and none have proven their competence under extreme pressure as well as Ellen Ripley. She’s tough, pragmatic, and cunning in Alien. Journey with Ripley into Aliens and we get to see her in a new light: mothering and nurturing with hints of deep empathy (Sigourney Weaver was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for this performance), which only makes the Xenomorph-stomping side of her even more badass.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp.)
#2And on the other side of the Sigourney spectrum, Weaver here plays Katharine, a particular kind of woman who’s nasty to the competition: other women. The object of her scorn is her secretary, Tess McGill (played by Melanie Griffith), who has her great ideas stolen by Katharine. The plucky Tess in turn pretends to be her boss’s colleague, and proceeds to shake things up in this corporate Cinderella story. Who doesn’t dream of one day suddenly arriving in a higher echelon of society? Of course, it’s what you do once you get there that’s important, and the glowing and tenacious Tess makes the most of it.
(Photo by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Marvel)
#3Hard-drinking, ass-kicking Valkyrie makes no apologies for her choices and draws solid boundaries. Sure, she’s flawed, but that’s what makes her successes so sweet. That she’s played by Tessa Thompson doubles the fun.
(Photo by Marvel/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
#4Letitia Wright proved that a sister doesn’t have to sit in the shadow of her sibling simply because he’s king. Her Shuri has the smarts and the sass to cut her own path, making her technical genius essential not only to the Kingdom of Wakanda, but also the Avengers’ recent efforts to take down the tyrant Thanos.
(Photo by Fox 2000 Pictures)
#5Don’t ask us to choose a favorite among Hidden Figures’ Space Race heroines: Taraji P. Henson as Katherine G. Johnson, Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan, and Janelle Monáe as Mary Jackson. The Oscar-nominated drama tells the story of a real-life team of female African-American mathematicians crucial to NASA’s early space program.
(Photo by )
#6As Imperator Furiosa, Charlize Theron blazed a trail for enslaved post-apocalyptic cult wives in skimpy clothing – literally. With an assist from Max (Tom Hardy), soldier Furiosa set the road on fire to rescue her charges from madman Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), leader of the Citadel.
(Photo by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Lucasfilm Ltd)
#7Daisy Ridley gave girls everywhere – and full-grown women, in truth – a fresh new hero to adore when she debuted in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Of humble origins, scrappy Rey overcomes her circumstances living as an orphan in a harsh environment to become an essential component in the Resistance. It helps, of course, that The Force is with her.
(Photo by Clay Enos/Warner Bros. Pictures)
#8Despite her superpowers and privileged background, Gal Gadot as Diana – princess of Themyscira and the Amazons, daughter of Queen Hippolyta and King of the Gods Zeus – retains her humility and a genuine care for humanity. She’s also the most rock solid member of DC’s boys club of Justice League superheroes.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox)
#9Come on…she’s Princess Leia. She leads the Rebel Alliance. She saves the galaxy again and again (with a little help from Luke, and Han, and Chewy). She eventually becomes a revered general, but from the very start – when she first confronts Darth Vader at the beginning of Episode IV – A New Hope – she shows a defiant, fiery nature that never dims. In her defining film role, Carrie Fisher brings impeccable comic timing to this cosmic princess.
(Photo by Roadside Attractions)
#10Before she was Katniss, Jennifer Lawrence was Ree, the role that made her a star and earned her the first of four Oscar nominations. A no-nonsense teenager, Ree dares to brave the dangers lurking within the Ozark Mountains to track down her drug-dealing father and protect her siblings and their home. With each quietly treacherous encounter, she shows depth and instincts beyond her years, and a willingness to fight for what matters.
(Photo by )
#11You can’t have any fear when you’re going up against Hannibal Lecter – or at least you can’t show it. He’ll sniff it out from a mile away. But what’s exciting about Jodie Foster’s Oscar-winning portrayal of the young FBI cadet is the way she works through her fear, harnessing that nervous energy alongside her powerful intellect and dogged determination. Clarice Starling is a hero for every little girl who thought she wasn’t good enough.
(Photo by Universal Pictures)
#12Julia Roberts won a best-actress Oscar for her charismatic portrayal of this larger-than-life, real-life figure. Erin Brockovich is repeatedly underestimated because of the flashy way she dresses and the brash way she carries herself. But as a single mom who becomes an unlikely environmental advocate, she’s a steely fighter. What she lacks in book smarts, she more than makes up for with heart. Steven Soderbergh’s film is an inspiring underdog story.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox)
#13Jane Craig is the toughest, sharpest, most prepared woman in the newsroom at all times, but she isn’t afraid to cry to let it all out when the pressure gets too great. Writer-director James L. Brooks created this feminist heroine, this workplace goddess, but Holly Hunter brilliantly brings her to life. She’s just so vibrant. Even when she’s sitting still (which isn’t often), you can feel her thinking. And while two men compete for her attention, no man could ever define her.
(Photo by MGM Studios)
#14It would be easy to underestimate Marge Gunderson. Sure, she’s in a position of power as the Brainerd, Minnesota, police chief. But with her folksy manner – and the fact that she’s so pregnant, she’s about to burst – she’s not exactly the most intimidating figure. But in the hands of the brilliant Frances McDormand, she’s consistently the smartest and most fearless person in the room, and she remains one of the Coen brothers’ most enduring characters. You betcha.
(Photo by Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
#15Danai Gurira plays Okoye, the leader of the Dora Milaje who specializes in spear fighting and strategic wig flipping. Of late, Okoye has been seen keeping company with Avengers.
(Photo by Miramax Films)
#16Things Bridget Jones is prone to: accidents, fantasizing about sexy coworkers, worrying about her weight, and running mad into the snow wearing tiger-print underwear. All totally relatable things, so it’s no surprise she’s the highest-ranked romcom heroine on this list. It also doesn’t hurt that, at their best, Bridget’s movies are what romantic comedies aspire to: They’re fun, cute, and just when it feels like everything’s about to fall apart, there’s the exhilarating little twist at the end that leaves watchers feel like they’re floating on air.
(Photo by Paramount Pictures)
#17It’s true that Cher is a little oblivious to the world at large, but she’s just so earnest and she tries so hard. She discovers a passion for doing good after successfully matchmaking a pair of teachers, and after a series of difficult lessons learned, she makes an honest effort to escape her privileged bubble and become a better person. Like we all should.
(Photo by MGM Studios)
#18Thelma and Louise, best friends who stick by each other no matter what. And when their girls’ getaway weekend quickly turns from frivolous to frightening, they find even deeper levels of loyalty to each other. Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon have an effortless chemistry with each other, and Ridley Scott’s intimate and thrilling film never judges these women for the decisions they make — or for the lengths to which they’ll go in the name of freedom.
(Photo by Warner Brothers)
#19Enduring racism, misogyny, and emotional, physical, and sexual violence, Celie (Whoopi Goldberg in her film debut) transcends her traumatic life in the rural South, finding friends, strength, and her own voice.
(Photo by Sony Pictures Classics)
#20As a transgender waitress, Marina constantly endures cruelty and confusion from the ignorant people around her. When the one man who loves her for who she truly is dies unexpectedly, she finds herself in the midst of an even more emotional, personal fight. Transgender actress Daniela Vega initially was hired as a consultant on Sebastian Lelio’s film; instead, she became its star, and A Fantastic Woman deservedly won this year’s foreign-language Oscar.
(Photo by TriStar Pictures)
#21Sarah Connor makes many want to be a better mother – or at least get to the gym and work on our triceps. The once-timid waitress crafts herself into a force of nature, a fearsome and visceral manifestation of pure maternal instinct. Played most memorably by Linda Hamilton in the first two Terminator movies, Sarah may seem unhinged, but she’s got laser-like focus when it comes to protecting her son, John, from the many threats coming his way.
(Photo by Miramax Films)
#22The return of blaxploitation queen, Pam Grier! What’s not to love? Especially in Quentin Tarantino’s killer love letter to South Bay Los Angeles. As Jackie Brown, Grier exudes classic cool with a tough exterior.
(Photo by Richard Olley/Columbia Pictures)
#23Jessica Chastain has made a career of playing quick-witted characters with nerves of steel. Nowhere is this truer than in her starring role in Kathryn Bigelow’s thrilling depiction of the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Maya is obsessively focused in her pursuit of the al Qaeda leader. She’s a confident woman who has to be extra prepared to survive in a man’s world. But when the mission is over and she finally allows some emotion to shine through, it’s cathartic for us all.
(Photo by Warner Brothers/ Everett Collection)
#24She’s the smartest kid in the class, regardless of the subject. The hardest worker, too. And she’s proud of those qualities, making her an excellent role model for girls out there with an interest in math and science. But Hermione isn’t all about the books. Over the eight Harry Potter films, in Emma Watson’s increasingly confident hands, Hermione reveals her resourcefulness, loyalty, and grace. She’s a great student but an even better friend.
(Photo by Columbia Pictures/ Everett Collection)
#25Howard Hawks’ celebrated screwball comedy benefited from a not-so-small change to the stage play it was based on: In the original The Front Page, Hildy Johnson was a male. But thanks to Rosalind Russell’s lively performance, as well as a few script changes she personally insisted upon, the character blossomed into an early icon of the independent working woman who’s not only just as effective at her job as her male counterparts, but also equally adept with a witty comeback.
(Photo by Walt Disney/ Everett Collection)
#26Elastigirl takes on all the trials of motherhood: She’s got hyper kids, a bored husband, and has to witness certain parts of her body unperkify. Elastigirl also just happens to be a superhero, with the fate of the world resting on her shoulders.
(Photo by Universal/courtesy Everett Collection)
#27Fans of the short-lived but beloved Fox sci-fi series Firefly were already familiar with Gina Torres‘ badassery as Zoe Washburne in Serenity. A veteran of the Unification War and second in command of the ship, Zoe is a strong and loyal ally who rarely pulls punches, whether she’s stating a controversial opinion or engaged in a literal fistfight. With her free spirit and deadly skills, it’s no wonder she became a fan favorite.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection)
#28Dolly Parton is a national treasure, and 9 to 5 allows her to light up the screen with her sparkling, charismatic personality. But while Doralee may seem like a sweet Southern gal, she’s got a stiff backbone and a sharp tongue, and she isn’t afraid to use them when she’s crossed. When she finally stands up to her sexist bully of a boss alongside co-workers Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda, it’s nothing short of a revolution – one that remains sadly relevant today.
(Photo by Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection)
#29The story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League is one that deserves to be told, and it’s Geena Davis‘ Dottie Hinson who grounds this fictional account. She’s a talented local player who becomes the star of the Rockford Peaches, and it’s her quick thinking that brings publicity to the sport. When her decision to play in the World Series leads to a spectacular finish, she also demonstrates a very human vulnerability, making her a strong but relatable heroine.
(Photo by Focus Features/courtesy Everett Collection)
#30Jane Austen’s classic heroine Elizabeth Bennet jumps off the page in the 2005 film starring Keira Knightley, who gives audiences an intelligent, down-to-Earth, sometimes literally dirty, but uncompromisingly steadfast leading lady.
(Photo by Everett Collection)
#31Never underestimate a sorority girl. They are organized and they know how to get what the want. In the case of Elle Woods, she goes after her law school goals with a smile on her face, a spring in her step, and an impeccably coordinated wardrobe. Reese Witherspoon is impossibly adorable in the role, with a potent combination of smarts and heart to shut down the naysayers who are foolish enough to judge her simply by her looks.
(Photo by Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection)
#32Talk brashly and carry a big sword. As Tom Cruise’s character unravels a complex time travel sci-fi story, a constant in his fluctuating world is Rita Vrataski aka the killer Angel of Verdun. But Emily Blunt gives life to Rita beyond burgeoning love interest. She takes the lead and makes the movie just as much her’s.
(Photo by Marvel Studios)
#33When Nick Fury sent that mysterious intergalactic text message right before disappearing into dust at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, eager fans knew what was in store. As played by Brie Larson, Captain Marvel is one of the most powerful superheroes in the MCU — if not THE most powerful — and she’s in such high demand that she spends most of her time battling evil on other planets. She shows up when it counts, though, and she can rock a mowhawk like nobody’s business.
(Photo by Paramount /Courtesy Everett Collection)
#34Though hit hard by tragedy and seemingly insurmountable odds of surviving an alien invasion, mother and daughter duo Evelin and Regan Abbott prove their mettle in A Quiet Place.
(Photo by Paramount Pictures / Courtesy: Everett Collection)
#35Played first in film by the groundbreaking star of the Star Trek TV series, Nichelle Nichols, the role was passed on to Zoe Saldana in the 2009 reboot film. Uhura, the USS Enterprise chief communications officer, was a critical crew member throughout the franchise in both TV and film.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection)
#36Who can stand up to Hugh Jackman’s fierce Wolverine without flinching? His cloned daughter X-23. Dafne Keen imbued the preteen mutant, a.k.a. “Laura,” with a volatile mix of anger, despondency, obstinance, and hope – that we would very much like to see more of.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection)
#37She’s Buffy. She slays vampires while juggling cheerleading and the SATs. But while Kristy Swanson gives the character a satricial bent, it’s the legendary TV adaptation that gives this character a lasting legacy. But the movie ain’t a bad place to start.
(Photo by Universal/ courtesy Everett Collection)
Discovered at age 30 while working as a typist in New York, Cicely Tyson transformed what was an already unlikely, late-blooming modeling stint into a full-blown acting career, and would become a trailblazer for Black artists across film, TV, and theater from the 1950s and well into the 21st century. Tyson’s versatility across stage and screen meant easy occupancy in roles worthy of her dignity and attention, with appearances in I Spy and Mission: Impossible, a co-starring part in kitchen sink TV drama East Side/West Side, and films like The Comedians and The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.
The Civil Rights era signaled a dramatic societal shift, not just in American civics but in arts and entertainment. This opened the path for Tyson’s creative peaks, starting with 1972’s Sounder, the deeply humanistic Depression-era drama. For her role as a mother whose husband has been incarcerated and is left to care for their only son (along with a runaway dog), Tyson received her sole Best Actress Oscar nomination. (She would become an Honorary Award recipient in 2019.)
Television emerged as a daring storytelling force during the ’70s, thanks to films and miniseries like 1974’s The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. Tyson portrayed Pittman across 90 years of her character’s life, from a child born into slavery to becoming a figurehead of 1960s’ social justice. Tyson won the Best Lead Actress in a Drama Emmy, and the TV-movie would go on to take Outstanding Special. Tyson would make history again as Kunta Kinte’s mother in the first section of the 1977’s legendary miniseries Roots, which garnered a Emmy nomination for her.
Tyson would ultimately be nominated for at least one Emmy every decade afterwards, including a late-career surge starting with 2014’s The Trip to Bountiful, and a stunning five-nomination run into 2020 for How to Get Away with Murder, playing Annalise’s (Viola Davis) mother, Ophelia.
Two days before her death in January 2021, Tyson published her memoir: Just As I Am. We look back on her life and career in film (including Fried Green Tomatoes and The Help), TV (Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman), and series, including Cherish the Day, created by Ava DuVernay. Here are 10 Fresh movies and series starring the legendary Cicely Tyson.
She’s yet to celebrate her 30th birthday, but Emma Stone has already been wooed by Jonah Hill, battled zombies, and smooched Spider-Man — and this weekend, she faces off against Steve Carell in Battle of the Sexes, so now seems like a pretty good time to take a look back at some of the brighter critical highlights from her growing list of film credits, while inviting you to rank your own favorites in the bargain. We’re romancing the Stone, Total Recall style!
NBC’s Saturday Night Live was back after a three-week hiatus and quickly incorporated the week’s top news. The show’s No. 1 moment wasn’t a full sketch, however, but a joke sprinkled throughout the 90-minute block. Host Octavia Spencer scored in her monologue, and SNL vets skewered Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway for her latest flub, embattled U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on his ties to Russia, and even some of the show’s own current and former cast members.
A photo of Kellyanne Conway kneeling on the Oval Office sofa with her cell phone circulated on social media last week. It turned out she was trying to get all the attendees of a historic meeting of leaders from black colleges in a single photo. Her pose will probably last longer than the historic photo she took, and SNL’s resident Conway Kate McKinnon made three kneeling appearances on the show. You couldn’t miss her in Weekend Update, but some astute fans spotted the other two!
To review: three sightings of Kate McKinnon's Kellyanne Conway so far tonight on #SNL. Where will she be next? pic.twitter.com/ELzWLxhILu
— Andrew Roth (@andrewr727) March 5, 2017
You can barely tell which one is which!
Made a side by side of Kate McKinnon & Kellyanne Conway ? #SNL pic.twitter.com/xTY6lt9Hts
— Impeach tRump❄️ (@vicsepulveda) March 5, 2017
A digital short shot movie trailer style teased an “inspiring political drama” in which one Republican lawmaker stands up to President Donald Trump against his own party. Saturday Night Live produced the video with the Republican unidentified and his inspiring statements “TBD.”
During her monologue, host Octavia Spencer made some jokes about the three African-American–themed films at the Oscars this year. Her mashup, Hidden Fence Light, was a combination of Hidden Figures, Fences, and Moonlight, but it could also have been a jab at Michael Keaton’s Golden Globes flub, calling Spencer’s movie Hidden Fences.
Many viewers heard Father John Misty for the first time on SNL. Many did not know what to make of him, but his die-hard fans understood. Perhaps lyrics about “sacred texts written by women-hating epileptics” are not for everyone. Here are some of the viewer reactions.
2 great songs tonight on #SNL by Father John Misty.
Yes he's real. No, it's not a skit.
U either get it or u don't.— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) March 5, 2017
I don't know who Father John Misty is but his lyrics sound like a slam poet who can't get anyone to go to his college bar poetry slams #SNL
— Matt Johnson (@mj_fester) March 5, 2017
Father John Misty is experiencing in SNL what Lana Del Rey did in 2012 because people are not aware of his artistry and his music
— Jamie (@kichiixo) March 5, 2017
I thought Father John Misty was someone waaaay different than he is. Now I'm just confused. #SNL
— Whitney Morfitt (@whitneymorfitt) March 5, 2017
In a blast from the past, Forrest Gump made an appearance in the cold open, but it was McKinnon as Jeff Sessions as the beloved film and literary figure. The real photo of kneeling Conway stands in as Forrest’s legless Lt. Dan. Topless Putin also showed up, and host Spencer reprised her Oscar-winning role as Minny in The Help and brings Gump-Sessions-McKinnon one of her famous pies. From one southern literary character to another: You are what you eat!
The cast of SNL are gifted impressionists, but they rarely turn their skills on each other. Dana Carvey once did Dennis Miller sitting next to the real Miller, but Saturday night was a free-for-all of current and legendary cast members. In a voiceover studio for a Zootopia knockoff, Kenan Thompson did Tracy Morgan, and Melissa Villasenor did both Kristen Wiig and McKinnon. McKinnon was too busy kneeling in the background to rebut her.
This year marks the 38th anniversary of the People’s Choice Awards, and you, the fans, have voted for all of your favorites!
Bridesmaids |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 |
The Help 76% |
Transformers: Dark of the Moon |
Winner! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Winner! Bridesmaids
Winner! Water for Elephants
Winner! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Winner! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Hugh Jackman, Real Steel
Winner! Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Robert Pattinson, Water for Elephants
Ryan Reynolds, Green Lantern, The Change-Up
Anne Hathaway, One Day
Winner! Emma Stone, The Help, Crazy, Stupid, Love
Jennifer Aniston, Just Go With It, Horrible Bosses
Julia Roberts, Larry Crowne
Reese Witherspoon, Water for Elephants
Winner! Hugh Jackman, Real Steel
Ryan Reynolds, Green Lantern
Shia LaBeouf, Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Taylor Lautner, Abduction
Vin Diesel, Fast Five
Chris Evans, Captain America: The First Avenger
Chris Hemsworth, Thor
James McAvoy, X-Men: First Class
Jennifer Lawrence, X-Men: First Class
Ryan Reynolds, Green Lantern
Winner! Adam Sandler, Just Go With It
Ashton Kutcher, No Strings Attached
Bradley Cooper, The Hangover Part II
Ryan Reynolds, The Change-Up
Steve Carrell, Crazy, Stupid, Love
Cameron Diaz, Bad Teacher
Winner! Emma Stone, Crazy, Stupid, Love
Jennifer Aniston, Just Go With It, Horrible Bosses
Mila Kunis, Friends with Benefits
Natalie Portman, No Strings Attached
Winner! Chloe Grace Moretz, Hugo
Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Emma Watson, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Rupert Grint, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Tom Felton, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
George Clooney
Harrison Ford
Winner! Morgan Freeman
Robert De Niro
Tom Hanks
This week on home video, we’ve got a handful of big releases that came out earlier this year; while a couple of them did surprisingly well, a couple of them fell far below expectations, and another one pretty much turned out the way we all thought it would. First up is the Emma Stone and Viola Davis-powered drama about race relations, followed by a sci-fi genre mash-up that should have been better than it was. Then, we’ve got a children’s film starring Jim Carrey, a smart retro spy thriller, and the sequel to a wildly popular comedy from a couple years back. In the reissue department, we’ve got a new Criterion Blu-ray for a Hitchcock classic, a popular franchise box set, and a Blu-ray for an historical WWII epic. See below for the full list!
What seemed on its surface to be another schmaltzy, pandering examination of race relations turned out to be one of the surprise hits of the year, thanks mostly to the efforts of its terrific cast. Based on the novel of the same name by Kathryn Stockett, The Help stars Emma Stone as Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, an intrepid young journalist during Civil Rights era America who decides to write a surely controversial novel about the experiences of black maids from the maids’ perspectives. During the course of her interviews, Skeeter befriends her subjects and an unlikely bond develops, lending Skeeter’s project a new sense of import and purpose. Though some critics felt the film somewhat glossed over its racial themes, the power of the performances, including superb turns by co-stars Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, helped to elevate the picture to a Certified Fresh 75%. The Help may not quite be the grand lesson in race relations some might want it to be, but it’s a moving look at the era and a worthy adaptation of its source material.
Tell anyone you’ve got an alien invasion movie set in the old west, starring Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, and Olivia Wilde, and directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man), and chances are that you’ll have the listener’s full attention. Too bad, then, that the actual film this describes turned out to be a flop. Based on the graphic novel of the same name, Cowboys & Aliens is exactly the kind of genre mash-up that contemporary audiences eat up heartily; 007 himself (Craig) plays a wandering stranger with no memory who stumbles into the New Mexico town of Absolution, only to find that the town’s residents don’t take too kindly to strangers. However, when a mysterious otherworldly menace begins an assault on the town, the stranger must team up with the local lawman (Harrison Ford) to battle for humankind’s survival. So what was the major problem here? Critics felt that, despite appealing performances from Craig and Ford, the film simply shifted its tone too abruptly and too often, never quite settling into a comfortable and effective groove. At 44% on the Tomatometer, Cowboys & Aliens isn’t the awesome genre action flick it could have been, but it may still satisfy those in dire need of a fix.
Back in 2009, Warner Bros. had a surprise hit of their own with the raucous bromantic comedy The Hangover, and it was immediately expected that a sequel would follow. Sure enough, two years later, audiences were treated to a second outing with the “Wolf Pack,” namely Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis), and Doug (Justin Bartha). If you’ve heard or read anything about the movie, you know that the typical summary offered is “It’s pretty much the same as the first one, except that it takes place in Thailand.” This time around, it’s Stu who’s getting married, so the gang travels back to his fiancee’s homeland for the festivities, and again, it’s Alan who inadvertently brings about another forgotten night of mayhem that the fellas must piece together the day after. What the first movie had going for it — namely, the element of surprise and a sense of joyful mayhem — is largely missing from this sequel, which sports raunchier jokes and a much darker tone. If you don’t mind a sense of déjà vu, feel free to dive right in.
Look, it can’t be denied: penguins are adorable. With that in mind, it’s quite understandable why there have been so many films in recent years, from documentaries to CGI-animated tales, centered around our most cuddly, flightless friends. And, of course, as demonstrated by other entries in this week’s list, adaptations of books are a Hollywood favorite as well, which brings us to Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Jim Carrey stars as the titular Mr. Popper, a divorced realtor whose globetrotting father leaves him with crates full of penguins upon his death. Popper decides not to turn the penguins over to the zoo when he observes how much his children love them, and in caring for his new feathered friends, he not only mends his personal relationships, but also succeeds in landing an important and sentimental real estate deal. Based on a children’s book from 1938, Mr. Popper’s Penguins is pretty standard stuff, which means the plot points are predictable, and there are enough “aww shucks” moments for the kids. The film, however, fails to transcend cliché and become something more, and for that, it sports just a 47% on the Tomatometer.
Have room for one more unoriginal story? A remake of the 2007 Israeli film of the same name, The Debt at least does a good job of adapting the original for a new audience. Flashing back and forth between two eras, The Debt tells the story of three Mossad agents who, in 1966, undertook a mission that made them national heroes… But did they really complete their mission, or is there more to the story? Three decades later, having enjoyed a life of some notoriety, the agents must decide whether or not to follow up on their original task, and as more details are revealed, the path becomes more treacherous for all involved. Though the shifts in time may be a little problematic for some at first, critics largely found much to praise in The Debt‘s smartly executed script and impressive acting. With a Certified Fresh 76% and stars like Tom Wilkinson, Helen Mirren, Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington, Ciaran Hinds, and Marton Csokas filling out the bill, you can be assured this is one thriller that will engage you from start to finish.
Two years before leaving his native Britain for Hollywood, Alfred Hitchcock made The Lady Vanishes, a deft blend of thrills and laughs that established a formula the master would utilize in his American films. On a train ride from a fictional Central European country to her native England, Iris (Margaret Lockwood) becomes acquainted with an elderly fellow traveler — who proceeds to seemingly vanish into midair. With the help of musicologist Gilbert (Michael Redgrave), Iris tries desperately to find the old lady, and to prove she’s not crazy. Filled with eccentric supporting characters (including Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford, whose characters Charters and Caldicott became a favorite of British audiences) and plenty of suspenseful twists and turns, The Lady Vanishes finds Hitchcock at an early peak. A new Critierion Blu-ray features a fresh transfer of the film, plus a making-of video essay, audio excerpts of a 1962 Hitchcock interview by Francois Truffaut, and Crook’s Tour, a 1941 film that re-teamed Charters and Caldicott.
A troubled production and a flop at the box office, Tora! Tora! Tora! certainly can’t count lack of ambition as one of its faults. A history lesson come to life, the film dramatized the attack on Pearl Harbor from both the American and Japanese perspectives; while many praised its commitment to historical accuracy, others felt the film lacked dramatic heft. The American scenes were directed by Hollywood pro Richard Fleischer, but it was the Japanese scenes that caused headaches for the producers; originally, Akira Kurosawa (!) was to direct, but he backed out, only to be replaced by action director Toshio Masuda and future Battle Royale helmer Kinji Fukasaku (!!). With a cast that includes Martin Balsam, Joseph Cotten, and Jason Robards, as well as Kurosawa and Ozu players So Yamamura and Eijiro Tono, the new Tora! Tora! Tora! Blu-ray is a great stocking stuffer for military buffs on your holiday shopping list; special features include featurettes on the film, behind-the-scenes photos, and commentary from Fleischer.
For those looking to get primed and ready for the upcoming fourth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Paramount is releasing a gift set of all three previous films in the Mission: Impossible Extreme Blu-Ray Trilogy. Most will be inclined to debate on whether the first or third installments were the best, while the John Woo-helmed second film is widely regarded as the worst of the three, but for those looking for a bit of globetrotting spy intrigue, they all pretty much serve their purpose. The three disc set comes with dedicated bonus features for each film, most of which have been previously released on earlier editions, so the big draw here is getting all three together for a pretty decent price. This could make for a pretty decent gift for a fan of the series who has yet to upgrade their collection to hi-def.
Since her acting debut in Signs (at age six) and Oscar nomination for Little Miss Sunshine (at age 10), Abigail Breslin has taken an unpredictable path in her film roles, appearing in everything from family movies to heartstring-heavy dramas to unabashed horror-comedy — as Zombieland‘s gun-toting scamp Little Rock, she got to indulge in what few of her young peers are allowed; namely, blowing away hordes of the undead. This year, Breslin’s already lent her voice to probably the best, and certainly the most original American animated feature, Rango, and she’ll soon appear (alongside practically everyone else in Hollywood) in the romantic comedy New Year’s Eve; while next year brings a transition to teenage roles — including a high school murderess in the very Heavenly Creatures-sounding Innocence. In this week’s Janie Jones, Breslin plays the title character, a 13-year-old girl set adrift from her single mother to reconnects with her boozy rock-n-roll dad, played by Alessandro Nivola. We sat down with the young actress to talk about the movie and her music, where she sees her career headed, and her Five Favorite Films (with a little assist from her mom).
Meet Me in St. Louis (Vincente Minnelli, 1944; 100% Tomatometer)
One would probably be Meet Me in St. Louis, which I love. Meet Me in St. Louis I love because I love Margaret O’Brien, and I actually got to meet her in person — she was so sweet and so cool. She was my favorite. So I love that movie.
I guess I’ll have to do one horror movie because it’s my thing; I love horror movies. So my favorite horror movie would be… [pauses] I guess I’ll just go with a recent one that I really like right now, which was Insidious. I actually really liked that. It was kind of like, in some ways kind of campy, but it was so fun the way it was done. I loved the storyline of it all, and the ending was really cool.
A recent movie that I really liked was The Help. I thought The Help was really, really good. And I love all the actors in it, who I thought were just amazing. I love Jessica Chastain, and Viola Davis and, you know, Emma Stone too, ’cause I worked with her. And Octavia Spencer. I thought they were all amazing.
Oh, the Bette Davis one — What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? I really like… I really love that movie. She’s kind of like really crazy and creepy. It’s one of the most — it’s not really a horror movie, but it’s so eerie and creepy.
.
And then finally I love… [long pause] Can I think about the last one? [Breslin’s mother intervenes: “For sentimental reasons the one you always loved was Prancer,” she suggests, laughing.] Oh yeah, I loved Prancer. Oh my god. [Laughs] I actually, really— okay, yeah, I’ll put that. So that movie, for sentimental reasons, and just because I still love it. It still has to be watched every Christmas. [Mom laughs in the background. ]
How many times have you seen it?
Oh, probably over a hundred. Especially when I was younger, I watched it like every day.
Do you know I’ve never seen it?
Oh my gosh, shame on you! Now you must.
Next, Breslin talks about Janie Jones, starting her music career, and her mini-obsession with Little Rock.
So, Janie Jones. I was impressed that you did all your own singing and playing in the movie. Was that something that attracted you to the part, or were you already performing music?
Abigail Breslin: Well I’d never really done music before, except for, you know, church Christmas parties and stuff like that. I’d never sung that much before, so it was definitely nerve-racking to come in — especially with Alessandro, who was such a good guitar player and singer. So that was definitely nerve-racking, but at the same time it was a lot of fun and it kind of inspired me to learn more. I taught myself guitar and took more vocal lessons, and now I actually have my own band; so that’s kind of cool.
How’s that going?
It’s going well. The band’s going good. It’s called CABB, with two “b”s, and actually our first song is coming out today and it’s called “Well Wishes.”
What kind of music do you play? “Who are your influences?”
[Laughs] Who are my influences! I kind of like… I love Adele, I love Foster the People, Regina Spektor, Ingrid Michaelson, The Vaccines. And then my best friend, who’s also in the band, she kind of likes different stuff, like Lady Gaga; so it’s kind of like a merger of the two.
Is music something you might consider pursuing as well as acting?
Yeah, I mean definitely. We’re working on an album right now. It’s definitely something that I love doing and can hopefully, you know, do both.
You and Alessandro kind of have a bond on screen — did you become close off-screen to get that dynamic?
Well, I mean, the first time we met was on set — except, actually my brother Spencer did a movie with Alessandro’s wife, Emily, so we met when I was three. [Laughs] I don’t think we “met.” So when we first met on set, one of the first scenes we did was a very awkward and uncomfortable “first meeting” scene, and it kind of worked out well — as we got to know each other, as the characters got to know each other, we got to know each other in real life. So that was kind of cool.
You first meet him in Little Rock. Was that a coincidence, or did you have that written into the script?
[Laughs] No! Because of my character in Zombieland?
Yeah.
Well, what’s interesting is that while I was filming Zombieland I was reading this script, and my character was “Little Rock,” so… [laughs] I actually really like the city Little Rock in real life.
You need to find a way to work this into all of your films.
[Laughs] Exactly. I need to find a way. It’ll be like a thing. Every movie that you see of mine will have, like, “Little Rock Dry Cleaning” or something like that.
And then you’ll know it’s an “Abigail Breslin Film.”
Then you’ll know — you will know. [Laughs]
You can go back into your old films and have it digitally inserted.
Yeah, I know! [Laughs] I need to go back into all of them. You’ll see Little Miss Sunshine and instead of it being at, like, Redondo Beach, it’ll say “Welcome to Little Rock” in a really cheesy voiceover. It’ll sound really bad, but it’ll work!
Looking at your film choices since your Oscar nomination, you seem to be taking pretty varied roles — from Zombieland to character work in Rango and now this — is there a plan to it?
I don’t really have a set plan of what I feel like I should do, but I definitely like to play characters that I’ve never played before, and do different ones. I just feel like I’d get bored playing the same character over and over again. So I do try and do different roles, but there’s no set plan. I just go script-by-script, and if I like the character and the story, and if it’s a character that I’d want to know in real life, then that’s sort of why I do it.
Janie Jones is released in theaters and on VOD this week.
Showing incredible longevity, The Help was the most popular film in North America for the third weekend in a row beating out a trio of new releases to top the long Friday-to-Monday Labor Day holiday frame. The spy drama The Debt debuted to impressive results in second place while the critically-panned thrillers Apollo 18 and Shark Night 3D followed with modest openings. Older adults came out to multiplexes in larger numbers than teens as overall ticket sales were about even with the holiday from the past two years.
Still pulling in ticket buyers in its fourth weekend, The Help led the way with an estimated $19M over the long four-day span with the Friday-to-Sunday portion seeing a slight uptick from last weekend. The Mississippi-set drama became the first film since Inception to rank number one for three weekends. Averaging a strong $6,683 over four days, the Disney release boosted its stellar cume to $123.4M on its way to what should be at least $160M. The Help continues to benefit from solid buzz and audience expansion reaching people now who had no interest on opening weekend. It has now surpassed Green Lantern and is on course to outgross bigger summer action films like X-Men: First Class and Super 8.
Leading the way among new titles was the older-skewing espionage thriller The Debt which bowed to an estimated $12.6M over the Friday-to-Monday period. The Focus release averaged a healthy $6,873 from only 1,826 locations as it played to a more sophisticated adult crowd. Reviews were good for the Helen Mirren film and with its Wednesday start the six-day gross was $14.5M. The performance was especially impressive given how well The Help (with 1,000 extra theaters) continues to do with adult women and the fact that films opening on Labor Day weekend rarely average more than $6,000 over four days. A healthy run ahead for The Debt could result.
There was a tight race among the frame’s two other new releases for the bronze medal. The outer space thriller Apollo 18 claimed a slim lead over with an estimated $10.7M debut from a very wide 3,328 theaters resulting in an awful $3,215 four-day average. The Weinstein Co. release tried to intrigue sci-fi audiences with its found-footage format but few turned out. Those that did rejected what they saw as the CinemaScore grade came in as a dismal D. Grosses will evaporate quickly. Luckily for the distributor, Apollo carried a tiny $5M production budget.
Opening behind in fourth place was the fourth horror film in as many weeks, Shark Night 3D with an estimated $10.3M. Released by Relativity Media, the PG-13 pic averaged a weak $3,671 from 2,806 despite including 3D surcharges. It was the third fright flick in a row that failed to break double digit millions on its Friday-to-Sunday opening weekend following the $8.5M of Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark and the $7.7M of Fright Night which was in 3D. Shark scared up $8.4M over three days. Produced for roughly $25M, Shark Night scored a disappointing C grade from CinemaScore. Females made up 52% of the audience, 57% was under 25, and a very high 56% was Latino. Although there were 300+ runs in 2D, Shark Night truly pushed the extra dimensional thrills as a very high 86% of the sales came from 3D screens.
Fox’s summer hit Rise of the Planet of the Apes collected an estimated $10.3M raising the impressive sum to $162.5M. The Zoe Saldana revenge thriller Colombiana dropped a reasonable amount in its second weekend to an estimated $9.4M pushing the 11 day total to $24M for Sony.
With a four-day take that matched its three-day debut, the raunchy comedy Our Idiot Brother from The Weinstein Co. grossed an estimated $7M. The Paul Rudd pic has taken in a modest $17.3M in 11 days. The distributor’s Spy Kids: All the Time in the World collected an estimated $6.6M in its third round boosting the total to $31M.
Suffering the largest decline in the top ten was the horror entry Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark which fell to an estimated $6.1M over four days. FilmDistrict has scared up $17.6M to date and the three-day decline was 40%. The Smurfs took in an estimated $5.6M for a mighty $133.6M domestic haul. The Sony smash continues to shine overseas with its international total rising to $295.8M and the global gross hitting a sturdy $428M.
With the summer movie season just about over, sequels pulled in the most business dominating the marketplace. The top five summer films were: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 ($375.5M), Transformers: Dark of the Moon ($350.5M), The Hangover Part II ($254.3M), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides ($240.5M), and Fast Five ($209.8M) which opened at the end of April but truly kicked off the busy moviegoing season. The top non-sequels were – Thor ($181M), Captain America ($172.1M), and Bridesmaids ($168.5M) which was one of the biggest surprise smashes of the season. The Help may eventually reach this same vicinity.
The top ten films grossed an estimated $97.6M which was up 5% from last year’s four-day holiday when The American opened in the top spot with $16.7M; and up 1% from 2009’s holiday when The Final Destination stayed at number one with $15.3M.
Written by Gitesh Pandya, Box Office Guru!
The North American box office slumped to its second lowest point of the year thanks to the lack of a breakout new hit plus a devastating hurricane wiping out plenty of business on the east coast. With tens of millions of people forced to stay home and many theaters shutting down for a day or two, moviegoing took a major hit across a large part of the country. But with films trying to pick up Saturday’s lost business on Sunday, and the weather event hitting at a time when the marketplace is generally weak anyway, the overall impact was not incredibly severe.
Topping the chart for a second straight weekend was the sleeper hit The Help which slipped only 28% to an estimated $14.3M. After 19 days of release, the Disney release has collected a sturdy $96.6M and will break through the $100M mark this week. The Viola Davis starrer averaged $5,159 which was impressive for the third weekend of a non-tentpole film.
The weak marketplace saw consumers spend just over $85M on the Top 20 films. Only the Super Bowl frame in early February was worse this year with $82M. Box office prospects over the next couple of weeks also look grim with few films hitting theaters that are truly exciting ticket buyers.
The revenge thriller Colombiana led the new releases with an opening weekend score of $10.3M, according to estimates. The Sony release about an assassin hunting down her parents’ killers averaged $3,940 from 2,614 locations which was respectable for a late summer film with a hurricane eating into east coast business. Starring Zoe Saldana and produced by Luc Besson, Columbiana did not fare too well with critics, but did connect moderately well with adult women. Studio research showed that 57% of the audience for the PG-13 pic was female and 65% was 25 or older.
The horror film Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark attracted a soft debut in third with an estimated $8.7M. Averaging a lackluster $3,148 per site from 2,760 theaters, the R-rated remake suffered from stiff competition being the third fright film in as many weeks to hit the multiplexes. FilmDistrict marketed the thriller as being from producer Guillermo del Toro who has a fan following of his own, but overall interest was not too strong.
Fox’s sci-fi prequel Rise of the Planet of the Apes ranked fourth with an estimated $8.7M as well, down 46% in its fourth frame. The action hit now stands at $148.5M on its way to $170M+.
The Paul Rudd comedy Our Idiot Brother debuted poorly in fifth place with an estimated $6.6M from 2,555 locations for a wimpy $2,578 average. The summer’s latest R-rated comedy earned decent reviews for The Weinstein Co. (which acquired the hot pic at this year’s Sundace Film Festival) but lacked the must-see buzz that so many other raunchy comedies earlier this summer had. Often times films work at more specialized events like Sundance or Comic Con, but fail to make much of a mark during a commercial release across 50 states.
A pair of 3D kidpics followed. In its second weekend, Spy Kids: All the Time in the World fell 51% to an estimated $5.7M for The Weinstein Co. With $21.7M in ten days, the PG-rated fourquel should finish with around $35M making it the lowest-grossing installment by far. Faring much better with families, The Smurfs slipped only 39% to an estimated $4.8M giving Sony a hefty $126M to date. The Smurfette pic has been the dominant choice for kids in the second half of summer.
The 3D remake Conan the Barbarian collapsed by 69% in its second weekend to an estimated $3.1M for a weak $16.6M sum in ten days. The big-budget actioner looks to end its weak run with only $20-23M. Fellow sophomore 80s redo Fright Night also fell sharply tumbling 61% to an estimated $3M for a dull $14.2M total. Look for the 3D Disney release to finish up with only $20M. Rounding out the top ten was the hit divorce comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love with an estimated $2.9M, off 39%, for a $69.5M cume. The Warner Bros. film may reach $80M.
The top ten films grossed an estimated $68.1M which was down 22% from last year when Takers opened with $20.5M; and down 35% from 2009 when The Final Destination debuted on top with $27.4M.
Written by Gitesh Pandya, Box Office Guru!
This weekend, the sleeper hit The Help ruled the North American box office in its second weekend climbing into the number one spot beating out four new releases which all stumbled in their debuts. The book-based drama grossed an estimated $20.5M slipping a mere 21% in its sophomore session setting up what will be a long-lasting run into blockbuster territory. The Disney release averaged a stellar $7,613 from only 2,690 theaters and raised its 12-day cume to a solid $71.8M. Help should have no problem making its way to $130M and could even soar much higher beating out many of this summer’s big-budget action offerings. Great reviews and strong word-of-mouth have made it into an event film for adults and appeal has been expanding beyond older females with more demographics discovering the story.
After two weekends on top, Fox’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes dropped down to second place with an estimated $16.3M. Off 41%, the sci-fi pic upped its total to $133.8M.
Leading the four-pack of new wide releases was the only kid-friendly one, Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D, which generated an estimated $12M from 3,295 theaters for a $3,648 average. Presented in 4D (a 3D film with scratch-n-sniff cards that give off story-related aromas, the PG-rated film played to a family audience but was met with dismal reviews which turned many parents off. Plus the core fan base for the first three films which were released from 2001 to 2003 has grown too old to care anymore so targeting a new generation proved too difficult for the Robert Rodriguez pic.
Another new 3D film not exciting moviegoers was Conan the Barbarian which debuted in fourth with an estimated $10M from 3,015 locations for a not-so-muscular $3,317 average. The R-rated remake was the summer’s 13th action film and audiences did not feel that the expensive production was worth the money in the late days of summer. 3D screens did account for a good 61% of the gross for the Lionsgate release though.
Another piece of 1980s nostalgia followed as the horror remake Fright Night did little to attract fans of scary movies opening to an estimated $8.3M. The Disney release invaded an aggressive 3,114 theaters but averaged a weak $2,665 per site. 61% of the gross came from 3D screens which was the one bit of good news. Reviews were mostly favorable, but competition for horror fans came from Final Destination 5 which just bowed last week with its own style of branded 3D chills.
Sony’s The Smurfs grossed an estimated $8M, down 42%, boosting the hit film’s cume to $117.7M. The horror sequel Final Destination 5 followed by falling 57% to an estimated $7.7M giving Warner Bros. $32.3M in ten days. A $45-50M final seems likely. 30 Minutes or Less dropped by 53% in its second weekend taking in an estimated $6.3M. With a ten-day sum of $25.8M, look for a $40M final for Sony.
The fourth and final new wide release of the weekend, the Anne Hathaway drama One Day, failed to make much of a dent with women debuting to only $5.1M, according to estimates. The Focus release averaged a mild $2,980 from 1,721 theaters and faced intense direct competition from The Help which has much more must-see buzz surrounding it. Reviews were very negative too.
Rounding out the top ten was the comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love with an estimated $5M, off just 30%, for a $64.4M cume.
The top ten films grossed an estimated $99.2M which was down 3% from last year when The Expendables remained in the top spot with $17M; and off 7% from 2009 when Inglourious Basterds debuted at number one with $38.1M.
Author: Gitesh Pandya, Box Office Guru!
