'80s remakes 'Footloose' and 'The Thing' compete at the box office

By Sarah Sluis

This weekend, remakes of 1984's Footloose and 1982's The Thing head off against the second weekend of sci-fi-with-heart picture Real Steel, which could win the box office even if it drops by half.

The remake of Footloose (3,549 theatres) has more critics tapping to the beat than not, with 74% of reviewers giving the movie a Rotten Tomatoes positive rating. Our critic David Noh, who admits to not liking the original, calls the second an "utterly unnecessary, ham-fisted remake." Still, there's a chance the movie will gain the support of younger and possibly older women, with box-office pundits predicting a $15 million finish.

The latest incarnation of The Thing (2,997 theatres) bills itself as a prequel to the 1982 John Carpenter film. Thanks to the enthusiasm of the filmmakers and "grotesquely imaginative special effects," critic Maitland McDoangh declares "there's plenty to entertain current horror fans." The sci-fi/horror hybrid should grab around $10 million.

The comedy trio of Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson get together for The Big Year (2,150 theatres), but the results do not appear to have the spectacular plumage of the rare birds they're seeking. "A compromised comedy outfitted in fresh feathers," according to critic Harry Haun, the story chronicles three birders intent on seeing the most flying creatures they can within a single year. The well-meaning comedy hasn't taken flight among critics, who gave the movie just a 38% positive rating.

Viewers of Pedro Almodvar films know the director is no stranger to the bizarre, but The Skin I Live In (6 theatres) comes close to topping them with its thriller/horror elements. Antonio Banderas stars as a vengeful plastic surgeon, and Elena Anaya his "patient." Noh dismisses the movie as "pretentious pulp," but I found myself riveted by the "sense of dread and revulsion [Almodvar instills] so badly that it hurts."

Texas Killing Fields (3 theatres) is several flaws short of Seven or Zodiac, but the story of police tracking down a mysterious serial killer has enough sway to entertain on a Friday night when nothing else is going on. Perhaps this movie will do well in its native Texas, but everyone else will be better served seeing it at home.

On Monday, I'll see if Footloose was able to outdance Real Steel, if audiences turned out for The Thing, and if The Big Year is as big of a flop as some are expecting.