'Puss in Boots' prepares to conquer box office

By Sarah Sluis

Paramount pushed the release of Puss in Boots (3,952 theatres) forward one week, making the CG-animated feature the first so-called "holiday" movie poised to take advantage of mounting ticket sales around Thanksgiving. Though the Shrek spin-off may post lower returns opening weekend because many kids will be celebrating Halloween in advance of the Monday holiday, prognosticators believe the movie should earn $35-39 million, with a decent chance of topping $40 million. 72% of the screens will be in 3D, apparently with good reason. In Todd McCarthy's THR review, he "enthusiastically recommended" a 3D viewing, noting that "the filmmakers have diligently applied themselves to conceiving the shots...[to] make use of 3D as a constructive tool and not just a gimmick."

Coming off its $54 million opening last week, Paranormal Activity 3 should continue to hold strong and grab the number two spot, especially as people celebrate the spooky holiday with a spine-tingling thrill ride.

The sci-fi actioner In Time (3,122 theatres) is tracking to open slightly above $10 million. Only 35% of Rotten Tomatoes critics gave positive ratings, but they may hold less sway among the under 25s who are showing the most interest in seeing the movie, which stars Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried as people living in a world where no one ages after they turn twenty-five, allowing those with money to live forever.

Fans of Hunter S. Thompson, especially college students, should turn out in force for The Rum Diary (2,272 theatres), which stars Johnny Depp. The rollicking drama, which was delayed for some time, should earn slightly over or under the $10 million mark. David Noh praised the "glamour, wit and surprising adventure," which the movie "delivers in spades."

The Shakespeare action-drama Anonymous was supposed to open wide, but Sony made an unusual last-minute decision to cut back the release to just 265 theatres. THR's Kirk Honeycutt liked the movie, but his summary is enough the count me out. "The film grabs at historical facts, mangles them into a plot worthy of a John le Carr spy novel and takes the viewer on a breathtaking ride through ye olde London," he says of the "rousing" period drama.

Sundance pickup Like Crazy will open in four theatres. The jump cut-laden romance exudes realism and also unfolds unpredictably. Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin star in the indie, which may be worth seeing in a theatre. The crowd I saw the romance with had audible reactions to scenes, which always makes the moviegoing experience more enjoyable.

Janie Jones will open in New York and Seattle. The Tribeca Film Festival selection centers on a rock star and his teen daughter (Abigail Breslin) by a groupie. When the mother drops out of the picture, father and daughter bond.

On Monday we'll see if pre-Halloween festivities brought down the opening weekend of Puss in Boots or boosted the performance of Paranormal Activity 3.

'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.

'Real Steel' set to dominate Columbus Day weekend box office

By Sarah Sluis

Family-friendly films have been doing well in recent weeks, from the G-rated re-release of The Lion King to the PG-rated Dolphin Tale. Now the PG-13-rated Real Steel (3,440 theatres) is aiming for family audiences. Hugh Jackman stars as an ex-boxer who discovers he has a ten-year-old son. They reconnect by training a robot boxer for the championships. Critic Frank Lovece dubbed it "a science-fiction family film in which nine-foot-tall boxing robots are greased not with oil but with schmaltz." The movie, however, is not without flaws. "Something's not quite right when the robots have more soul than the leads," Lovece concludes. The support of family audiences and higher-priced IMAX screens should earn Real Steel over $20 million this weekend. With a third of kids out of school on Monday, Columbus Day, the feel-good robot tale should also experience a fourth-day boost.

The opposing candidate is The Ides of March (2,199 theatres), which stars George Clooney as a presidential contender in a movie he also directed. The ensemble piece, adapted from the play Farragut North, also features Ryan Gosling as a whipsmart press secretary. Unfortunately, "like a good politician," the movie "promises more than it delivers," according to critic Daniel Eagan. "Good intentions" don't make up for the "trite" moments that will create "inevitable bad word-of-mouth." Still, ticket sales from men and women over 25 should bring this movie above $10 million.

I'd rather not dwell on The Human Centipede 2 (The Full Sequence), which is opening in 18 theatres. "Strictly for fans of the original, and you know who you are," THR critic Frank Scheck warns. This is a movie so vile, just thinking about the plot description grosses me out, but it's also become something of a pop culture talking point. So just so you know: The sequel was banned in the U.K., and the first film was parodied on "South Park."

Also on the specialty front is Dirty Girl (9 theatres), which features a teen girl (Juno Temple) behaving badly and her overweight gay sidekick. Critic David Noh championed the "totally engaging road movie," but critical opinion has been less enthusiastic. Just 23% of critics gave the movie a positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

On Monday, we'll see how Real Steel fared and if audiences voted for The Ides of March.

'Fast Five' revving up for a blockbuster weekend

By Sarah Sluis

It's not even May yet, but this weekend should bring the first summer-size blockbuster hit, Fast Five, which will saturate the market with 3,643 theatres. Pundits are predicting the film could haul in up to $70 million, tens of millions more than anything that's hit the box office this year. What's more, despite being both the fourth sequel and a car chase action movie, critics are singing their praises, giving it an overall 78% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. FJI critic Daniel Eagan singled out the movie's "delirious action sequences" and concluded that it "condenses everything good about the series into a state-of-the-art thrill ride."

Many high schoolers are just weeks away from their own proms, so what better way to prepare than to catch Disney's Prom (2,730 theatres)? In fairness, the scrubbed-clean Disney version of Prom (no lose-your-virginity pacts la American Pie) will probably attract an audience more tween than teen. According to critic Kirk Honeycutt, the movie has "a cheerful good nature and a solid cast of youngsters," and will probably please the intended audience, but not adults. Disney estimates the movie will open just under $10 million.

Five years after Hoodwinked, the Red Riding Hood redux film Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil will hit 2,505 theatres, 72% of them 3D. Hayden Panettiere voices the lead role, taking over for Anne Hathaway. Critic Frank Lovece acknowledges that the first film was a hit according to independent animation standards, but he's not so kind to the sequel, faulting the "primordial" CG animation and "hackneyed pop-culture references," which date back to the last couple of decades. Like Prom, this animated sequel should debut under $10 million, a relic of when the Weinstein Co. lost its momentum.

Finally, the horror-comedy spoof Dylan Dog: Dead of Night (862 theatres) will target itself toward horror buffs. Based on a comic book, the movie centers on a detective that specializes in the undead (zombies, vampires, etc.). His business card reads "No pulse? No problem."

Those that like a splash more blood can check out director Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins (3 theatres). Technically a samurai pic (jidaigeki), Miike's latest effort "bathe[s the genre] in a steady downpour of blood, mud and filth," according to critic Maitland McDonagh.

After receiving a warm reception on the festival circuit, Werner Herzog's documentary Cave of Forgotten Dreams will start its release with 5 theatres. Shot in "terrific" 3D, critic Doris Toumarkine enjoyed his footage of the Chauvet Caves, and found Herzog's "enthusiasm and awe...contagious."

On Monday, we'll see if Fast Five can get up to that 70 MPH box-office figure, if tweens show an iota of their High School Musical devotion for Prom, and if Hoodwinked Too! is able to steal some thunder from Rio.

'Mars Needs Moms,' 'Battle: Los Angeles' and 'Red Riding Hood' compete for moviegoers

By Sarah Sluis

This weekend's box-office leader will most likely be Battle: Los Angeles (3,417 theatres), which has the best chance of unseating last week's animated hit Rango. For some reason, this aliens-in-L.A. movie reminds me of Volcano, that late '90s film about a volcano in L.A. I take issue with these scary-thing-in-L.A. films, I feel like screenwriters write these movies for studio executives, not the 90% of America that doesn't live in Southern California. Maybe if aliens mow Los Angeles to the ground, they can rebuild with public transportation. Just saying. Critic Daniel Eagan gave the movie a shrug of approval. It's "not original," but it has "decent special effects and a satisfying story." That may help the sci-fi actioner earn $20 million plus.

If Rango skews old for animated movies, Mars Needs Moms (3,117 theatres) skews young. The "ill-conceived" adaptation of a cute children's book has such grave inconsistencies that it led critic Ethan Alter to wonder if the director was "making the movie up as he goes along." The company behind the film is being shut down after Mars Needs Moms releases, so this motion-capture movie is more of an example in "don'ts" than "dos."

Red Riding Hood (3,030 theatres) is being billed as the next best thing for those eagerly anticipating the next Twilight. Catherine Hardwicke, who helmed the original Twilight, directs the movie, which replaces the big bad wolf with a werewolf. Critic Maitland McDonagh praised the perfectly-cast Amanda Seyfried, but wished the movie explored "the discomfiting psychosexual subtexts that lurk beneath familiar childhood stories." The similar Beastly earned just shy of $10 million last week, but Red Riding Hood should pass that $10 million mark easily.

"Those hungry for a Bronte fix" will be sated by Jane Eyre (4 theatres), which includes many shots of the "undulating moors that make romantics of us all." Critic Erica Abeel was less keen on the casting of Mia Wasikowska, who just didn't have the "acting chops" needed for the role. I thought Wasikowska was fine, but I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one who found the "shuffled timeline" rather "confusing," even among those familiar with the novel.

On Monday, we'll see if Rango was able to top the trio of new releases and if audiences turned out for Jane Eyre, one of the most-filmed novels.

Adult fairy tales are the latest Hollywood movie trend

By Sarah Sluis

Hollywood's search for familiar characters and stories has led it to create movies from toys (Transformers), board games (Battleship) and self-help books (He's Just Not That Into You). Now it seems studios are going back to basics, with many getting on board amped-up fairy tale adaptations. A rundown, from the normal to the peculiar:

Beastly: This Beauty and the Beast remake is all about cashing in on Twilight. Former "High School Musical" star Vanessa Hudgens falls in love with pretty-boy-turned-cursed-beast Alex Pettyfer (a rumored troublemaker), in what appears to be an unimaginative update. Verdict: The Clueless/Sense and Sensibility route of teen adaptations.

Red Riding Hood: This adaptation comes from the actual director of Twilight, Catherine Hardwicke, and stars Amanda Seyfried in a striking red caplet. A werewolf is terrorizing the Medieval-esque town, and she thinks she might know who the handsome predator is. No shrinking violet, she carries a knife for protection. This adaptation appears to take some liberties in its fleshing-out of the fairy tale, but it still reserves catchphrases like "What big eyes you have!" for key moments. I predict the movie will be much more appealing to those in need of a Twilight fix. Verdict: I feel like I've seen this movie before, but without such sexual overtones. Could this be like the Demi Moore adaptation of The Scarlet Letter?

Snow White and the Huntman: Kristen Stewart is in talks to play the princess, and Julia Roberts the evil queen in this "modern" adaptation of Snow White. While Internet plot reports are scattered, it seems the story centers on the bond created between the huntsman and Snow White when the woodsman refuses to obey the evil queen's orders to kill her. Verdict: With a tentpole release for summer 2012, I predict an Alice in Wonderland-type experience, with big budgets and an expanded take on a classic tale.

Maleficent, Tink: Each of these movies takes a supporting character from the Disney empire and gives her a chance in the spotlight. Maleficent will take the same strategy with Sleeping Beauty that Wicked did with The Wizard of Oz: Cast the villain as a misunderstood victim with her own reasons for her actions. Tim Burton's directing, but this film may give him an opportunity to go darker than Alice in Wonderland. Tink will take more of a romantic comedy route, with Elizabeth Banks reported to be playing the "mischevious" fairy. Verdict: Disney doesn't like to mess with its characters, so this shows the studio's more adventurous side. The iconic status of these characters is a big draw.

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters: The title really says it all, doesn't it? Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton play survivors of the gingerbread house oven who parlay their witch-killing smarts into a full-time position as bounty hunters. Verdict: Weird. A fractured fairy tale in the vein of Shrek, but with promises of more action violence.

Spotlight: J.J. Abrams, the guy who can make 'nerd' films everyone sees

By Sarah Sluis

Last weekend the Comic-Con darling Scott Pilgrim vs. the World opened to a disappointing $10 million. The cult movie Kick-Ass also opened soft, to $19.8 million, though I can vouch for both films: they deserved more. This has led to writers sounding the alarm about so-called nerd films that fail to cross over to the rest of the marketplace.

Which made me think of someone who has managed to inspire both cult followings and crossover audiences with his work: J.J. Abrams. "Lost" drew in diehard fans as well as mainstream audiences (although some of the less devoted, such as myself, dropped out before the final season). Last year, he managed to attract wide audiences for that apex of nerdom, Star Trek. Never did I think I would go to a Star Trek movie and not think of all the Trekkie nerds I knew in school, but he did a great job making the story accessible and somehow appealing to the kind of people who wouldn't be caught dead at a sci-fi convention, or who had never even seen a single episode.

What stronger sign that someone has "made it" than when Steven Spielberg collaborates with you? The two are working on a sci-fi/aliens/teen-oriented project called Super 8, which is coming out next summer. Both directors have a populist sensibility that also works well with critics, and I bet they'll be able to come up with something incredible together. Let's not forget that both Jaws (Spielberg) and Cloverfield (Abrams, producer) were both the types of action/horror movies that usually receive a much more low-brow treatment.

This week, Abrams announced that he's also working on the nostalgically inspired 7 Minutes in Heaven, which will focus on two teens who disappear in a closet for their seven minutes in kissing heaven, only to return to find their friends dead. It's a clever pairing that juxtaposes the innocence of youth with murder--isn't that what all teen slasher movies are about? Of course, there could be other forces at work, but a slasher is the first that comes to mind, unless Abrams wants to go The Happening route and create toxic trees.

On a lighter note, Abrams appears to have a thing for numbers, and it's only a matter of time before he can count to ten with his films: There's Super 8, 7 Minutes in Heaven, Mission Impossible III and the planned MI:IV, Star Trek the first and the upcoming Star Trek sequel. Now he just needs to make a film with a five or six.