This Weekends Movie News – Whats Hot This Weekend, What Happened Last Weekend

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Here is What I'd See

Well, unfortunately, this weekends movies aren’t offering much of a choice.  There is pretty much absolutely nothing new coming out with the exception of Michael Jackson’s This Is It.  Seeing as thought I’m not a big fan of Michael Jackson, I’d have to opt to see a movie that came out last weekend, or even the weekend before that.

Saw 6 got better reviews than the previous release of Saw 5, and I’m kind of in the Halloween spirit so I might actually go to see that.  I was really hoping that the newest installment of the Saw movies was going to be better than the last couple that came out and seeing as though the reviews are saying that it is, it makes it a little easier for me to make that choice.

If I wasn’t such a big fan of “scary” movies, I’d probably go and see Amelia.  I know it had an absolutely atrocious opening weekend, but the idea of the movie intrigues me.  I absolutely loved The Aviator, and I know I shouldn’t compare this movie to that one as they are going to be completely different films I’m sure, but I just can’t help it.

Hilary Swank is a great actress in my opinion, and the story of Amelia Earhart is a good one to begin with.  For the movie to be any good, all that really had to be done was make sure that it was directed and produced well.

So, there you go, out of all this weekends movies, I’d be going to see one that came out last weekend.  My only solid suggestion to anybody that wants to go see a movie this weekend, is to NOT see Paranormal Activity…  I stand by my review of the film, and it was terrible.  I don’t care how many times this movie gets the top weekend movie honor.

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I really don’t understand it…there must have been some paranormal activity going on at the box office, because Paranormal Activity was the top weekend movie this weekend.  Overall, this was actually a terrible weekend for any movie to open….laughable actually.

Paranormal Activity is the Top Weekend Movie

There were so many things that I thought could have happened at this weekends movies, but I seriously never thought that this was even an option.  Somehow, Paranormal Activity took the number one spot at the box office this weekend.  Here is how everything played out:

1:  Paranormal Activity:  Grossed an estimated $22 million.   More than last weekend.  And this movie opened over 4 weeks ago.  I saw it and thought it was a terrible movie.  I really just don’t get it.

2:  Saw VI:  Grossed $14.8 million.  Comparing that to every other Saw movie opening (none of which EVER grossed less than $30 million on an opening weekend) I have to say that is pretty awful.  Obviously, Paranormal Activity was leeching would-be Saw movie goers.  They really should have re-thought that decision, as this years Saw movie is actually being better received than last years Saw V.

3:  Where the Wild Things Are:  Held its own and took the number 3 spot.

4:  Law Abiding Citizen:  Again, holding its own and not dropping very far from its opening weekend spot.

5:  Couples Retreat:  I don’t understand it…I really don’t.  There were just so many great options, and somehow this movie is still appearing in the top 5 movies of the weekend.

That means NONE of the other opening movies of this weekend managed to make it into the top 5!!

The only film that opened this weekend that made it into the top 5 was Saw 6!  There were FOUR  new movies that opened this weekend and only ONE made it!

Astro Boy only managed to bring in almost $7 million.  I never expected this movie to be a blockbuster or anything, but to not make it into the top 5 surprises me a bit.  I guess families were simply choosing Where the Wild Things Are as their family friendly flick of the weekend.

The Vampire’s Assistant brought in an absolutely awful $6 million (just over that actually).  This I guess isn’t too much of a surprise.  It really just didn’t have much appeal, other than those who might have wanted to see a movie that looks like a spoof on the Twilight movie series.

Amelia, the last new opening movie this weekend, brought in…are you ready for this?  A staggering (staggeringly low that is) $4 million.  There isn’t anything to even say…that just sucks.

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My guess is, this weekends movies just had too many competing movies vying for its own viewers.  You had a couple head-to-head match ups where one just didn’t stand a chance over the other.

You had the Astro Boy vs. Where the Wild Things Are

There was Paranormal Activity vs. Saw 6

Then there were the movies that didn’t really fall into a genre at all, and maybe were just hoping to bring in viewers based on star power or buzz.  The thing is, that only works when you don’t already have so many decent movies at the box office to compete with.

All in all, this wasn’t a very good weekend to choose your movie to open on.

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This Weekends Movies Actually Offer Some Great Options…Especially When Compared to Last Weekend

Here is What I'd See

When you look at last weekends movies (wide releases anyway), this weekend is great.  Actually, even if you weren’t to compare this weekend to such a weak weekend like the last one, it is still very good.

This weekend is all about a nice variety of choices.  You’ve got the psychological thriller of “The Stepfather”, the action and mystery of “Law Abiding Citizen” and finally (for the whole family) “Where the Wild Things Are”.

Even though I’m an adult with no children, I was actually contemplating going to see “Where the Wild Things Are” because I remember reading the book as a child…and then seeing Spike Jonez vision of that book in the previews (which look absolutely amazing) made me want to see it for some reason….it is pulling at my childhood memories I guess.  That is going to be a huge selling point for this movie when it comes to families.  The children are going to want to see it and the parents are going to want to see it (that is always good for business).

However, after watching the preview for “Law Abiding Citizen” (and the enjoyment I get out of Gerard Butlers acting) I think I may have changed my mind to wanting to go and see that instead.  I’m not a terribly big fan of Jamie Foxx, but it looks as though he is really starting to build up some credibility.  The plot looks great, and I don’t think the movie is going to be terribly predictable or cheesy.

“The Stepfather” will probably be an alright movie, but it isn’t really anything new.  The “word on the street” is that it is a lot like “Disturbia” from a while back.  I mean, you can kind of do a movie highlight without even going to see the movie:

Dad Moves in…Dad seems great…Dad does something eerie (but it was probably nothing)…Dad goes crazy…Dad almost kills somebody…”somebody” doesn’t die…Dad gets killed.

So, with the plot easily figured out ahead of time, it is really going to have to be about the way the movie is shot and how well the actors pull it off and how predictable everything actually turns out to be.

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Would You Choose to Live as a Surrogate?

Would You Live as a Surrogate?

I just recently went to see the movie Surrogates (you can read about that here) with my girlfriend, and it actually ended up starting a friendly debate between her and I (I say debate, others might say argument…tomato/tomoto…)

Anyway, I just wanted to get some others feedback on the topic.  Below I’ll list some of the benefits (as I see them) and drawbacks (again, as I see them) to living as a “Surrogate”.

Benefits

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• You don’t ever have to worry about getting sick
• You don’t have to worry about being murdered
• Those days when you had too much to drink the night before, you simply call your boss and say “Hey, my surrogate is in the shop (busted flux capacitor).  I’ll be in as soon as it’s fixed.”
• You can look however you want
• No more listening to your wife/girlfriend talking about wrinkles and “Crows Feet” or how your husband/boyfriend is “getting love handles”
• You’re “body” never gets tired (you simply find the nearest outlet and plug ‘er in)
• Getting yelled at by your boss or girlfriend/boyfriend?  Simply turn off your ears…literally

Drawbacks

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• Everybody Else can look however they want (you just never know who’s operating that thing do you)
• The organization you work for can always supply with a “backup” surrogate…can’t ever miss a day of work….eughk
• There are actually plenty of drawbacks, but on a serious note, there is one that kind of encompasses them all…here it is:

You never actually get to live….here is what I mean (and they touch on this in the movie…don’t worry, no movie spoiler here)  Have you ever done something moderately dangerous or just plain old exciting? (like skydiving, rock-climbing, wake boarding or bungee-jumping)  If you have, you’ll know that crazy feeling that you get inside of you.  It is similar to wanting to scream as loud as you can combined with a feeling of “I can do anything” with a dash of wanting to punch somebody in the face (not because you’re mad, but because you just need an outlet).

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You get that feeling because of the thrill behind what it is you’ve done.  There is only a thrill doing those things because of the inherent danger attached to the act itself.  Living as a surrogate, bungee jumping wouldn’t be exciting.  Even if the machine you’re sitting in that controls the surrogate could replicate the rush of the wind across you’re face, you’re hair blowing every which way, the feeling your stomach gets like it has just been ripped out of you (caused by falling very fast…I.E. – Bungee jumping), all the little things…at the end of it, you wouldn’t be left with that feeling…because there was never any danger involved.

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Even take almost getting into a car accident…it is horrifying…but afterwords (if you didn’t get hurt) you feel like you’ve conquered the world.  Even the horrifying feeling itself is worth actually “feeling” (not that I’m saying almost getting into a car accident is a good idea or anything).  You wouldn’t ever have true fear or true excitement living as a surrogate…ever.

So What do You Think?  Would You Choose to Live Life or Would You Choose Safety Over Living?  Leave Your Comments Below and Read Others…Discuss it!

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This weekend is particularly weak…in regards to movies actually opening and good movies.

With that being said, here would be my pick for this weekend.  I’d actually go to see Zombieland…and it isn’t even opening this weekend.  Zombieland actually came out last weekend (Oct. 2nd 2009) but with the only new movie to hit the big screen this weekend being a romantic comedy (Couples Retreat) I’ve got to go with a previously released movie.

I’m not saying Couples Retreat is going to be bad, it just isn’t really my cup of tea.  I’m sure I’ll end up seeing the movie though when it hits DVD as I’m a big fan of Jason Bateman, and Vince Vaughn is an actor I actually find to be pretty funny.  It just isn’t a movie I’m willing to pay $25.00 to go and see.  I say $25 because I’ve got to buy my ticket, then my girlfriends ticket and then that gallon and a half of Diet Soda my girlfriend is going to want (I really hate diet soda….)

Hopefully next weekend has some better choices for me to choose from…