Weekend Movie Guide: Everest, Scorch Trials, Black Mass
Ryan
Everest, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and Black Mass are among the movies opening in theaters this weekend around St. Louis. Grandma also makes its way to St. Louis in a limited engagement. See Black Mass this weekend at MX Movies in downtown St. Louis.
Don’t pay regular price for a ticket to see one of these new releases in the theater. Sign up now for MoviePass at MoviePass.com.
Recapping Last Weekend
While the overall box office take wasn’t one for the books last weekend, the race for the weekend box office crown sure was. The Perfect Guy pulled in $25.89 million in its debut to edge out The Visit‘s $25.43 million debut in final numbers. War Room was a distant third with $7.77 million in its third weekend. The three films were made for a combined $20 million and brought in a combined $91 million as of earlier this week.
A Walk in the Woods brought in $4.74 million in its second weekend of release while Mission: Impossible – Rouge Nation finished out the top five with $4.1 million in its seventh weekend of release.
Straight Outta Compton earned an additional $3.9 million in its seventh weekend of release. The film has now brought in $156 million domestically and $180 million worldwide during its theater run. The N.W.A. biopic had a budget of $28 million.
Everest
Everest recounts the 1996 tragedy on the mountain peak where eight climbers died as a result of a storm stranding them. The script takes multiple accounts of the disaster into play, including those in Jon Krakauer’s book Into Thin Air. Outside has a lengthy backstory on the filming of Everest. Baltasar Kormákur directs this film after previously directing Contraband with Mark Wahlberg and 2 Guns with Wahlberg and Denzel Washington. Jake Gyllenhaal and Josh Brolin were among the crew that filmed at elevations of 15,000 feet, according to Kormákur in a recent interview with Wired.
JoBlo says Everest isn’t the “edge-of-your-seat thriller” that the trailer implies. Richard Roeper says “visuals, acting elevate a high-altitude adventure“.
Everest opens in Imax theaters this weekend and in wide release next weekend.The strategy of the early Imax opening could lead to more of the same by studios in the future.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is the sequel to last year’s The Maze Runner and is based on the second novel in the science fiction trilogy of the same name by James Dashner. Last year’s film managed $102 million at the domestic box office against its $34 million budget, but really hit big overseas, where it pulled in more than $238 million.
In Scorch Trials, Dylan O’Brien’s Thomas and the crew attempt to find out more about the WCKD. The group works with the resistance fighters to take on the WCKD in a vast wasteland called the Scorch.
I really enjoyed last year’s The Maze Runner and look forward to seeing Scorch Trials on the big screen. I’ve never read the books so, I didn’t really know what was going on at first, but really liked the story. The Wrap uses Maze Runner‘s social media metrics to predict this film could have a huge opening. The Hollywood Reporter predicts Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials will open in the $30-$35 million range. Movieweb is predicting the film will bring in up to $48 million.
Black Mass
Johnny Depp stars in this story of the life of Boston Crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger. Depp sparked criticism at a recent screening of the movie with comments that seemed like an attempt to humanize the murderer Bulger, according to relatives of his victims. Dann Gire of the Daily Herald speaks glowingly of Depp’s performance in his review. Tony Hicks of the San Jose Mercury News also praised Depp’s performance.
Screen Rant is predicting Black Mass will bring in $21 million during its debut weekend.
Grandma
The limited release of Grandma comes to St. Louis with showings this week at Hi-Pointe, Landmark Plaza Frontenac and the AMC West Olive 16. Lily Tomlin stars as a grandmother whose granddaughter (Julia Garner) comes to her needing money for an abortion. On the pairs’ adventure to get the money, they come across characters such as Laverne Cox’s tattoo artists and Tomlin’s ex-girlfriend , Judy Greer.
Critics have loved the movie. It’s currently sitting at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes due largely to praise for Tomlin’s performance and the work of writer-director Paul Weitz. Sony Classics has rolled Grandma out slowly with its widest release only being 130 theaters thus far. The roughly $2 million the film has made thus far has easily made it a financial success considering its budget of $600,000.
I saw Grandma earlier this week. I guess I’m not the target crowd for the film. It had its moments, but overall I wasn’t a huge fan of the film. I thought Tomlin did an excellent job, however.
Catch It Before It’s Gone
Inside Out, Ricki and the Flash and Vacation all hit the screens at Keller 8 Cinema in South County this weekend.
I enjoyed all three of these movies. Vacation gives you some good laughs. Ricki and the Flash was good, but I wish it had been longer. I highly recommend seeing Inside Out. It’s a great movie and you should take the opportunity to see it in the theater.
Make It A Redbox Night
Cinderella and Love & Mercy are among the movies now available at your local Redbox.
Movie News
Matt Damon Knows The Most About Film Diversity
The fourth season of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s Project Greenlight premiered earlier this week on HBO. Jezebel has a great write-up on an exchange between Damon and Effie Brown about the subject of diversity in movies. Brown argues that diversity behind the camera on a film is just as important as diversity in front of the camera. Damon talks over her and knows down her argument. Effie Brown is a successful African-American female film producer.
The Jungle Book Trailer Premieres
Disney brings us a live-action remake of The Jungle Book next spring starring Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray and Christopher Walken. Judging from the trailer, the 2016 live-action film will have a bit of a darker tone than the 1967 cartoon adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling classic.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Has A Baby On The Way
US Weekly had the story last night that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his girlfriend, Lauren Hashian, are expecting a baby. The Rock is dad to 14-year-old Simone with his ex-wife, Dany Garcia. Hashian and Johnson have been together since at least August of 2008, when they were first photographed together.
Steve Jobs Trailer #2
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Ryan
Ryan is a weird dude. He doesn't cook, yet owns a plethora of kitchen gadgets. He rationalized buying a SodaStream while unemployed. He counts Step Up 2: The Streets as one of his favorite movies along with Footloose, Rent, Grease and Paul Blart: Mall Cop. He loves Mizzou but only wants them in the SEC so he can tailgate in Nashville. He owns a ShakeWeight and AbLounger, but still loves him some John Donut and Billie's Fine Foods. You can get more of Ryan at iLoveSoulard.com or just check the stool on the far end of the bar at iTap in Soulard.
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