This weekend, and December in general, is off to a rather weak start. It is a state that is likely to carry through the end of the year as the slate of offerings seems to be less compelling than we would like. This weekend was topped by the opening of the expected blockbuster The Day the Earth Stood Still, a science fiction remake of a great film from the 1950s. Unfortunately, it was greeted with poor reviews and lack of audience. I am sure Hollywood will place blame on the state of the economy, but there is no denying the idea of a remake held much more promise than it delivered.
The Day the Earth Stood Still opened with a disappointing take just barely north of $30 million. I am sure the studio had hoped for another run along the lines of I Am Legend, the Will Smith science fiction movie (and remake) that opened on the comparable weekend last year to the tune of $77 million. For that matter, the Alvin and the Chipmunks film opened the same weekend and saw a take of more than $44 million. That fact has to rub some salt in the wound. If only the Keanu Reeves film had been good, who knows what could have happened? The cautionary tale of the threat of nuclear war told in the original film is one that would seem to be easy to update for current relevance but unfortunately the script fails to deliver anything worthwhile at all.
Also debuting this weekend is the Christmas-centered family reunion film Nothing Like the Holidays. It centers on a Puerto Rican family living in a suburb of Chicago and the drama that arises when the whole family gets together and learns their parents are on the verge of divorce. It is a movie that is funny, dramatic, a little unreal, and a whole lot welcoming. It is not the best movie of its kind, but it is one that will make you want to spend more time with it and its characters. This is one to sit back and enjoy. I would recommend going soon as it opened with a less than stellar $3.5 million and placed seventh.
One other film entered wide release, but it was poorly marketed and just looked like a bad film to boot. The movie is the animated feature Delgo, which sought to make up for any perceived lack of quality with a who's who list of B-grade celebrities. It finished in 16th place and will likely disappear completely in a week or two. So, if you want to see it, make sure you do so soon.
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