Back Seat Producers

#1 One Direction: This is Us from TriStar opened at #1 with a gross of $15.8 million in 2,735 theaters.  Budget was $10 million.

#2 Lee Daniels’ The Butler from Weinstein Company fell from #1 to #2 with a gross of $14.9 million (-9.8%) in 3,330 theaters (+220).  Total gross to date is $74.1 million.  Budget was $30 million.

#3 We’re The Millers from Warner Bros. fell from #2 to #3 with a gross of $12.7 million (-2.5%) in 3,445 theaters.  Total gross to date is $109.7 million.  Budget was $37 million.

#4 Instructions Not Included from Lionsgate opened at #4 with a gross of $7.8 million in 348 theaters.  Budget was unknown.

#5 Planes from Buena Vista held at #5 with a gross of $7.75 million (-9.6%) in 3,259 theaters (-119).  Total gross to date is $70.8 million.  Budget was $50 million.

#6 Elysium from TriStar rose from #7 to #6 with a gross of $6.4 million (-7%) in 2,539 theaters (-374).  Total gross to date is $78.5 million.  Budget was $115 million.

#7 The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones from Sony/ScreenGems fell from #3 to #7 with a gross of $5.5 million (-41.1%) in 3,118 theaters.  Total gross to date is $22.9 million.  Budget was $60 million.

#8 The World’s End from Focus Features fell from #4 to #8 with a gross of $5 million (-42.8%) in 1,553 theaters (+2).  Total gross to date is $16.8 million.  Budget was $20 million.

#9 Getaway from Warner Bros. opened at #9 with a gross of $4.5 million in 2,130 theaters.  Budget was $18 million.

#10 Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters from 20^th Century Fox fell from #8 to #10 with a gross of $4.48 million (-15%) in 2,393 theaters (-337).  Total gross to date is $55 million.  Budget was $90 million.

#11 You’re Next from Lionsgate fell from #6 to #11 with a gross of $4.1 million (-41.7%) in 2,437 theaters.  Total gross to date is $13.4 million.  Budget was unknown.

#12 Blue Jasmine from 20^th Century Fox fell from #10 to #12 with a gross of $4 million (+1.2%) in 1,179 theaters (-104).  Total gross to date is $20.5 million.  Budget was unknown.

The combined gross of the top 12 movies this weekend was $93.1 million.

Sources:
Box Office Mojo

Former race-car driver Brent Magna has returned home to find that it’s been ransacked and his wife is now missing. Soon, Magna receives instructions from a mystery man to steal a car and be ready to perform all sorts of tasks for him or else his wife will be killed. The car that Magna has been told to steal is a highly customized Shelby Super Snake Mustang that’s been structurally reinforced and fitted with cameras and microphones so that the mystery man can see and hear everything that Magna does. In the midst of the chaos that Magna is causing (on the streets of Sofia, Bulgaria), He’s tracked down by a young woman known here as The Kid who pulls a gun on Magna and claims the car as her own, Magna is forced to bring the girl along with him and soon finds out that both are part of the plans of the mystery man. Now they must endure a race against time in order to save themselves and Magna’s wife.

That’s the premise to Getaway an action thriller from Dark Castle Entertainment, a production company that has specialized in lower-budget genre films that have included movies like Whiteout, Thir13en Ghosts, Ghost Ship, RocknRolla and a couple of favorites of mine like Ninja Assassin and Splice. Getaway is directed by Courtney Solomon who prior to this has directed An American Haunting (which I’ve not seen) and Dungeons & Dragons (which I saw when it came out and at least remember being entertained by it at the time). Getaway certainly feels like it’s the sort of project that I’d expect to see from Dark Castle and it certainly seems to me like it’s designed to appeal to the same audience that likes the Fast & Furious movies. I thought the trailer to the movie looked fun, but unfortunately the movie is more a noisy endurance run more than anything else. This thing is a mess.

This 90-minute car chase is so convoluted that it feels like you’re watching an overly scripted video game that has to have certain things happen in the right moment for it to progress and of course all of these things do happen. It’s cliche-ridden abound with the biggest offender being the character of The Kid who’s not only extremely unlikeable but also serves as the deus ex machina of the movie; the computer hacker who can perform magic with the touch of a few buttons- maybe one of the biggest character cliches that you see in movies today. There’s absolutely no humor to be found in the movie whatsoever and the chases themselves are shot in such a staccato manner that they’re just not exciting at all to watch. Now this chase part does get a little bit better by the film’s end with a pretty cool nearly two-minute long single shot from the hood of the Mustang as it’s in pursuit of the villain of the film, but by then it’s too little too late, because really you just don’t care.

As I said at the top, when I saw the trailer, I thought it looked fun and another part of the appeal to me was that this starred Ethan Hawke (playing Brent Magna). Hawke’s certainly done a lot of very good work in the past and has played in several recent genre films (including The Purge from earlier this year. When it comes to his genre roles, I tend to think that Hawke has chosen to do them because there is just a little bit of a twist to the parts, but unfortunately, that’s not the case with Getaway Brent Magna is a by-the-numbers lead that you’ve seen time and again in film, though to Hawke’s credit, he plays it well and with conviction. He doesn’t elevate the material here, but at least he doesn’t embarrass himself either, though I doubt this movie will be one that he puts on the top of his resume. Selena Gomez plays The Kid (no name is given to her throughout the film) and five minutes into her scenes in the film, I’d pretty much had enough. She looks like she’s about 13 years old here and doesn’t for a moment seem like she’d have the wherewithal to sell the idea that she’s an expert hacker who could break into complex computer systems let alone have a license to drive and own a car. She’s just annoying as can be though I can’t lay the blame entirely at her as the script just doesn’t do her any favors. When she first encounters Magna, she’s told right up front what’s going on and yet repeatedly through the film she questions why Magna is doing what’s he’s doing and calls him an ‘asshole” for doing it. That really doesn’t do much to endear her to the audience. I have to give further kudos to Ethan Hawke just for being a pro and putting up with this.

Further, we do actually have a name actor in the part of the mystery man (known in the credit listings as The Voice) but before you get to him, you go through two substitutes (played by Bruce Payne and Paul Freeman) before we get the big reveal and then it just doesn’t matter in the slightest, because really nothing else further is told about this character other than he was a big fan of Magna’s while Magna was on the racing circuit. I won’t reveal who this actor is just in case any who are reading this are still planning to see the movie, but still the final revelation is underwhelming to say the least.

Coming into this, I really wanted to like Getaway, I really did. I think it’s totally possible to make a 90-minute car chase movie and make it with some wit and charm, but that’s just not the case here. Ethan Hawke is certainly solid in his part and there’s one good car chase bit in the film (the above-mentioned single shot scene), but a convoluted and clunky script and an overly annoying performance from Selena Gomez squashes that. Steer far away from Getaway.

#1 Lee Daniels’ The Butler from Weinstein Company held at #1 with a gross of $16.5 million (-33%) in 3,110 theaters (+177).  Total gross to date is $51.8 million.  Budget was $30 million.

#2 We’re The Millers from Warner Bros. held at #2 with a gross of $13 million (-27.4%) in 3,445 theaters (+120).  Total gross to date is $91.3 million.  Budget was $37 million.

#3 The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones from Sony/ScreenGems opened at #3 with a gross of $9.3 million in 3,118 theaters.  Total gross to date is $14.1 million.  Budget was $60 million.

#4 The World’s End from Focus Features opened at #4 with a gross of $8.8 million in 1,551 theaters.  Budget was $20 million.

#5 Planes from Buena Vista fell from #4 to #5 with a gross of $8.6 million (-36%) in 3,378 theaters (-338).  Total gross to date is $59.6 million.  Budget was $50 million.

#6 You’re Next from Lionsgate opened at #6 with a gross of $7 million in 2,437 theaters.  Budget was unknown.

#7 Elysium from TriStar fell from #3 to #7 with a gross of $6.9 million (-49.4%) in 2,913 theaters (-371).  Total gross to date is $68.9 million.  Budget was $115 million.

#8 Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters from 20^th Century Fox fell from #6 to #8 with a gross of $5.3 million (-39.7%) in 2,730 theaters (-350).  Total gross to date is $48.4 million.  Budget was $90 million.

#9 Kick-Ass 2 from Universal fell from #5 to #9 with a gross of $4.4 million (-67.2%) in 2,945 theaters (+5).  Total gross to date is $22.5 million.  Budget was $28 million.

#10 Blue Jasmine from 20^th Century Fox rose from #14 to #10 with a gross of $4 million (+73.4%) in 1,283 theaters (+1,054).  Total gross to date is $14.5 million.  Budget was unknown.

#11 2 Guns from Universal fell from #8 to #11 with a gross of $3.4 million (-42.1%) in 1,841 theaters (-630).  Total gross to date is $65.4 million.  Budget was $61 million.

#12 Jobs from Open Road Films fell from #7 to #12 with a gross of $2.9 million (-57.3%) in 2,381 theaters.  Total gross to date is $12 million.  Budget was $12 million.

The combined gross of the top 12 movies this weekend was $90 million.

Sources:
Box Office Mojo

Paul and Aubrey Davison are getting ready to celebrate the wedding anniversary and have retreated to their secluded country house. Their three sons and one daughter are also on the way there with their significant others. First to arrive is their son Crispian with his girlfriend Erin, and almost right on cue as the parents believe that someone else is in the house. After the house has been given the “all clear,” the rest of the family arrives little knowing the night of terror that awaits them from out in the woods.

That’s a loose version of the premise to You’re Next, from director Adam Wingard who’s part of a new breed of horror filmmakers that includes from the cast of You’re Next, Joe Swanberg and Ti West. Both West and Wingard have been part of the film The A, B, C’s of Death (which I still have yet to see, but will soon) and all three were part of the found footage horror anthology, V/H/S which I enjoyed a great deal. Like horror directors Rob Zombie and James Wan (who earlier this year gave us The Lords of Salem and The Conjuring respectively), these guys ear their influences on their sleeves and it’s certainly evident in You’re Next which is a nice little throwback to 80s horror and revenge films, but still feels fresh and fun (fun if you’re horror movie fan that is).

You’re Next brought to mind for me 80s slasher movies along with a little touch of Italian Giallo movies and with it’s heroine, Erin (played by Step Up 3D’s Sharni Vinson) it brought to mind for me movies like the exceptional 80s horror film, The Stepfather and the Linda Blair revenge movie, Savage Streets. This starts with a bit of a slow build, letting us get to know the Davison family and their guests a little bit before all hell breaks loose as they’re attacked from forces outside the house. Once that happens, it’s a real roller-coaster ride right up to the film’s bloody climax.

Wingard has a real nice eye for setting up his scenes and his animal mask-wearing antagonists are a nice little visual in and of themselves. Some of Wingard’s compositions bring to mind Kubrick’s work on The Shining which is also very much an influence on the whole movie. It’s all pretty nicely punctuated with a terrific score from Mads Heltberg, Jasper Justice Lee and Kyle McKinnon, that fluctuates between some violent stings to 80s type of electronic music (used particularly well during the back end of the movie).

As the terror escalates, the situations and murders get far more over-the-top and almost to the point of parody, but they felt right to me anyway. There are certainly explanations abound for why this is happening to the Davisons and why Erin is as resourceful as she is, and again, some of this will seem pretty outlandish, but it all does make sense in the end, in particular Erin’s backstory.

I really enjoyed Sharni Vinson in Step Up 3D and this is about as broad a departure from that part as it gets, but Vinson is certainly up to the task and certainly excels as the empowered heroine of the film. The rest of the cast is certainly serviceable to what’s being done here with the one standout being Joe Swanberg, the smart-ass Davison sibling who just doesn’t know when to die. I also thought it was very cool to see iconic horror actress Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator, From Beyond) here as Aubrey the matriarch of the Davison family.

I had a pretty darn good time with You’re Next. It’s not quite in the same league as The Conjuring (which for me anyway is one of the best movies I’ve seen this year so far), but it’s still a good time at the theatre and an even better one if you’re a fan of 70s and 80s horror movies. Some of this will certainly seem pretty outlandish at times, but in the end, it does come together and makes for a nice little horror ride.

#1 Lee Daniels’ The Butler from Weinstein Company opened at #1 with a gross of $24.6 million in 2,933 theaters.  Budget was $30 million.

#2 We’re The Millers from Warner Bros. held at #2 with a gross of $18 million (-32.0%) in 3,325 theaters (+65).  Total gross to date is $69.7 million.  Budget was $37 million.

#3 Elysium from TriStar fell from #1 to #3 with a gross of $13.7 million (-54.1%) in 3,284 theaters.  Total gross to date is $56 million.  Budget was $115 million.

#4 Planes from Buena Vista fell from #3 to #4 with a gross of $13.4 million (-39.8%) in 3,716 theaters (+14).  Total gross to date is $45.3 million.  Budget was $50 million.

#5 Kick-Ass 2 from Universal opened at #5 with a gross of $13.3 million in 2,940 theaters.  Budget was $28 million.

#6 Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters from 20^th Century Fox fell from #4 to #6 with a gross of $8.8 million (-39.2%) in 3,080 theaters (+49).  Total gross to date is $39.3 million.  Budget was $90 million.

#7 Jobs from Open Road Films opened at #7 with a gross of $6.7 million in 2,381 theaters.  Budget was $12 million.

#8 2 Guns from Universal fell from #5 to #8 with a gross of $5.8 million (-48.4%) in 2,471 theaters (-557).  Total gross to date is $59.5 million.  Budget was $61 million.

#9 The Smurfs 2 from Sony/Columbia fell from #6 to #9 with a gross of $4.8 million (-48.9%) in 2,349 theaters (-1,518).  Total gross to date is $57.1 million.  Budget was $105 million.

#10 The Wolverine from 20^th Century Fox fell from #7 to #10 with a gross of $4.5 million (-43.7%) in 2,058 theaters (-809).  Total gross to date is $120.6 million.  Budget was $120 million.

#11 Despicable Me 2 from Universal fell from #9 to #11 with a gross of $3.9 million (-33.9%) in 1,818 theaters (-577).  Total gross to date is $346.1 million.  Budget was $76 million.

#12 The Conjuring from Warner Bros. fell from #8 to #12 with a gross of $3.88 million (-41.4%) in 2,001 theaters (-649).  Total gross to date is $127.8 million.  Budget was $20 million.

The combined gross of the top 12 movies this weekend was $121.4 million.

Sources:
Box Office Mojo