The box has been counted and the numbers are out and they are not pretty. Well, not as pretty as many would like them to be, but they are up over the past few years when viewed as a whole rather than in parts. You see, despite the relatively low grosses of the individual films in the top ten, this past weekend is generally seen as the transitional weekend from the big Thanksgiving titles (this year being Twilight) to the build towards Christmas beginning with next weekend's The Day the Earth Stood Still.
This weekend was topped by last weekend's winner, Four Christmases. The holiday-centric film is a bust with critics, but seems to be doing quite well with the general movie-going populace. I will not deny that there were a few moments that made me laugh, but it is not a terribly good film, and certainly not one that is destined to be remembered for any length of time. Next weekend will see it begin it's decline to the bottom.
There were three new releases hitting theaters across the nation this past weekend and only two of them made it to the top ten, and those just barely made it. First was the latest comic adaptation Punisher: War Zone, the third attempt at translating the vigilante to the big screen. It is not nearly the best of the bunch, but it just may be the most entertaining. The Ray Stevenson starring actioner is wild and over the top and an absolute blast to see on the big screen; however, it's paltry $4.2 million opening take does not bode well for its future. My recommendation is to see it soon because it's going to disappear quickly.
Following close behind is Cadillac Records, a movie filled with great music that gives an interesting, if cursory, look at the creation of Chess Records and its roster of talent that included Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, and Etta James. Quite the collection! The film gives a glimpse into the development of Chess's sound, its influence on the birth of rock and roll, and the lives of those who were there. I liked it, but thirst for something with a bit more depth on the topic. The film suffers from having so much material to work with and being forced to pare it down to a reasonable length movie. It may have only brought in $3.4 million, but it has not quite reached the level of a wide release, it's only playing at 686 theaters, look for it to go wider in coming weeks.
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