'Total Recall' takes second place to 'Dark Knight Rises'

As predicted, Total Recall placed second to The Dark Knight Rises this weekend, earning $26 million to the final Batman film's $36.4 million. Total Recall is a remake of the 1990 film starring California's former governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. My expectations for a remake of such a well-known original weren't that high, but other remakes/relaunches have had impressive debuts. Think of the remake of The Karate Kid, which debuted to $55 million and totaled $176 million. Or last year's Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which had a near-identical performance, opening to $54 million and finishing with $176 million (but earning twice as much abroad, over $300 million). Sony is probably less focused on domestic totals and more on international ones. This is the kind of project that translates well internationally, so the distributor should expect to see even stronger returns abroad as it starts to roll out in more foreign markets.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days of Summer, the third in the adaptation of kid's books, opened to a less-than-stellar $14.7 million. This entry opened in August in order to match up with the movie's summer setting, but that may have hurt the movie's opening. The first two film chose a March "Spring Break" timeslot, opening to $22 and $24 million. Star Zachary Gordon filmed both Dog Days and the prior movie back to back last year in a battle to outrun puberty, so even without these box office results, this may be the final entry in the series.

Within the top ten, Ted posted the strongest hold, dipping just 26% to finish with $5.4 million in its fifth week. That was enough to tip the R-rated comedy past the $200 million mark. Beasts of the Southern Wild rose from thirteenth to twelfth place, posting a 26% gain as it added 110 theatres for a total of 318 locations. It was one of thirteen specialty releases to post gains this weekend. The highest-earning of the bunch included Versailles-set Farewell My Queen, which went up 40% for a total of $186,000, and Killer Joe, which expanded from three to fourteen locations and brought home $163,000 in the process, a 330% increase from its debut.

Un-rom-com Celeste and Jesse Forever averaged $28,000 per screen in its opening in four locations. That puts the Rashida Jones-Andy Samberg picture in a strong position for expansion. Magnolia's 360 had a softer opening, averaging $6,300 per screen in two locations. That release is also opening on-demand so it's likely the use of multiple platforms will bolster returns.

This Wednesday, the empty nester sex-and-relationship comedy Hope Springs will get a head start on the weekend. On Friday, the Will Ferrell-Zach Galifianakis political comedy The Campaign will open opposite The Bourne Legacy, the first of the franchise without Matt Damon in a starring role.

Batman predicted to fly above 'Total Recall'

2012's Total Recall (3,601 theatres) is a remake of the 1990 Paul Verhoeven film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Remakes always have a tough time going up against the original, but reviews haven't been too unkind in their comparisons--it appears to be partly a matter of preference. Schwarzenegger's one-liners or Colin Farrell's superior acting? "In the rare moments when [Farrell]'s not parkouring his way through would-be assassins, he imbues Quaid with a touch of genuine humanity," Maitland McDonagh says of the lead. Since The Dark Knight Rises is expected to earn around $35 million this weekend, Total Recall will end up in second if it stays within industry expectations of $25-30 million.

"Not so wimpy after all," according to THR's Michael Rechtshaffen, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (3,392 theatres) is on track to earn in the teen millions this weekend. The lead character is "closer to those wimpier roots" after he "came across as a little too mean-spirited the last time out." Parents may be twiddling their thumbs a bit if they tag along, but the "harmless" and "pleasant" comedy gets points from me for being one of the few kid movies about real-life kids, not animated creatures.

A couple learns to be friends after their divorce in Celeste and Jesse Forever, which received accolades on the festival circuit. Rashida Jones stars opposite Andy Samberg in a romance/comedy she co-wrote along with her own ex Will McCormack, reportedly using notes from their own romance-turned- friendship. The "juicy, self-referential part," as described by Marsha McCreadie, includes plenty of self-deprecating pratfalls, including a "comic bit where Jones floats by, passed out on a pool float." Also debuting on the specialty circuit is 360 (2 theatres), a tale of interconnected, round-the-world stories linked by each character's romantic connection. With "life practically bursting out of every pristinely shot scene," FJI critic Chris Barsanti feels "it's more than enough" to make it worth audiences' time.

On Monday, we'll see if Total Recall ends up close to or above The Dark Knight Rises, and if kids convinced their parents to take them to a Wimpy Kid screening during these last Dog Days of Summer.

Promising indie films in Sundance 2012 lineup

By Sarah Sluis

Let's skip past awards season for a minute. The lineup for the 2012 Sundance Film Festival has been released. Surprisingly, none of the fifteen movies in the premiere section have distribution yet. Included in the lineup are plenty of romances, comedies, and offbeat premises that will be sure to connect with Sundance's youthful core demographic. Let's take a look at some of the projects that have me the most excited.

Bachelorette. This year's Bridesmaids showed just how much fun female-centered wedding comedies can be. Bachelorette is a bit more Mean Girls, centering on a group of friends who are miffed when their least popular member becomes engaged to an extremely eligible bachelor and then recruits them to be bridesmaids. Kirsten Dunst, Lizzie Caplan, and Isla Fisher star as the friends, in what looks like a cross of Bridesmaids and the upcoming Young Adult.

Celeste and Jesse Forever. Another entry in the unconventional, weird-timelined love story (think: (500) Days of Summer), this centers on a couple that's been together since high school. As they approach thirty, they decide to divorce while remaining best friends. Rashida Jones, who's been a rising star, plays one member of the couple in a screenplay she co-wrote.

Red Hook Summer. Spike Lee directs and co-writes this story of a boy who goes to live with his grandfather who he's never met. I love this premise, and I think it's a chance for Lee to return to the kind of astutely observed social drama he showed the world in Do the Right Thing.

Liberal Arts. This romance centers on a 30-something guy (Josh Radnor, who also writes and directs) who returns to his college only to hook up with a 19-year-old student (Elizabeth Olsen). Olsen's portrayal as a cult member in the 2011 Sundance entry Martha Marcy May Marlene was powerful but also largely mute. It will be interesting to see the "third Olsen" in what has to be a more dialogue-driven performance. With the focus on Radnor, could this movie be a kind of reverse The Graduate?

The Sundance Film Festival will take place from Jan. 19-29, 2012.

Coupling off: Studios attaching stars to their rom-coms

By Sarah Sluis

Love is in the air. News of developing romantic comedies just keeps on coming:

First, it was Cameron Diaz announcing she will star in Swingles, a tired-sounding romantic comedy with

an inevitable coupling you can see miles away. She will play an acerbic woman who serves as a

replacement wingman for a hard-to-please guy who has been dumped by his (male) wingman. I see a little Hitch in here, a little battle-of-the-sexes, but this movie better be filled to the brim with jokes in order to get it past the premise.

Then, third-time's-the-charm, a currently untitled romantic comedy, previously titled Wichita and Trouble Man, has again been dredged up as a possible romance between Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. Cruise is also considering presidential thriller The 28th Amendment, so this is likely just one of many announcements that will take place as the star settles on his next project. If it goes forward, Cruise would play a man who mysteriously pops up into a lovelorn Diaz's life after one blind date.

Rashida Jones, fresh off her star turn as Paul Rudd's fiance in I Love You, Man, has been cast in spec project Celeste and Jesse Forever. The script follows a young, divorcing couple who try to remain friends as they forge new relationships and separate lives. It sounds quirky and unusual, and all the more so if they don't end up back together in the end (terrible, I know).

While not romantic, it's also worth mentioning that the Farrelly Brothers' incarnation of The Three Stooges has tightened its cast list: Sean Penn will be Larry, Jim Carrey plus forty pounds will be Curly, and Benicio Del Toro (hopefully) will be Moe. A project of passion that has cycled through studios for a decade, it's hoped that a fall production will make for a 2010 release date.