September has now moved on. The transition period between the summer blockbusters and the fall Oscar season is moving on and nearing its end. For now we can look back at the month that was September and digest the offerings that it brought us. Were there any worthy films to hit the big screen, or was it merely filler?
The month started off with what is traditionally one of the weakest weekends of the year. Labor Day brings with it the last hurrah for the kids readying themselves to go back to school. There are plenty of parties and barbecues to attend, and generally little less attention paid to what is playing at the box office. This weekend brought the almost cartoonish Crank, the urban streetball themed Crossover, and the remake of the Christopher Lee film The Wicker Man. None of them made any lasting impact. I think the best of the weekend was Crank -- I really dig Jason Statham as an action star.
The following weekend was the weakest that had been seen in years, with the top film bringing in less than $9 million. That top film was the monumentally bad The Covenant. Joining it was the infinitely better Hollywoodland, which was left to sink pretty quickly, and the chopped up action film from Thailand, The Protector. It was a mediocre week in terms of quality, with the best film doing the worst of the bunch. It also marked the first steps towards Oscar potential, in the form of Hollywoodland, which has a shot at a nod or two.
The Oscar potential followed through into the third weekend when The Black Dahlia was released. I doubt any Best Picture possibilities exist here, but cinematography and costume nods would not be out of the question. Offering up some competition were the football drama Gridiron Gang, the animated baseball movie Everyone's Hero, and the 'young men at a crossroads' film The Last Kiss. My favorite of the weekend was The Last Kiss.
The transition into Oscar season continued as we saw the first Oscar flop in All the King's Men which seems to be trying just a little too hard. It was countered by the one release that is sure to be ignored by anyone involved with the Academy, Jackass Number Two. Falling in between were the likes of Flyboys and the fantastic period film from Hong Kong, Jet Li's Fearless. I still do not like the possessive added to Li's film, but it is still the best movie I saw during the month.
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