Box Office: Straight Outta Competition

 

Amir here, to bring you the weekend’s box office report.

It’s a historic weekend of sorts. In this year of records being broken left and right, perhaps Straight Outta Compton’s position as the 6th biggest August opening of all time isn’t all that impressive, but considering the context, it’s mighty impressive. Despite the weight of the name of its producers, the iconic original album and the enthusiastic reviews, $56m is still way above expectations. (A cursory look at the films around Compton on the August all-time top ten list truly sets the film apart. N.W.A. is a brand but not exactly a ticket-seller at the multiplex.) Significantly for Universal, the biopic’s gross – nearly double the previous record opening for a musical biopic – means they have reached the 2 billion dollar mark for the year in August, earlier (by four months!) than any studio ever before.

WEEKEND’S TOP FIVE
Straight Outta Compton $56m new
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation &17m (cum. $138m)
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. $13.5m new
Fantastic Four $8m (cum. $42m)
The Gift $6.5m (cum. $23.5m)

The other wide release, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. didn’t fare so well, which is a shame given at least of two of its four stars are very likeable (and exceptionally glamorous, too). On the limited front, one of my most anticipated films of the year, Noah Baumbach’s Mistress America, opened to rather disappointing returns on four screens, failing even to reach the mark set by Frances Ha, though we can never read too much into this super small platforms. Is it me or does it seem like no one is talking about this film, even though the few who are talking about it are very positive?

I had a splendid weekend: I binge-re-watched the second season of Bojack Horseman, which I wholeheartedly recommend to everyone, and also watched a soon-to-be-released film that currently tops both my best picture and best actress lists for the year.

What did you watch this weekend?

Will We Ever Get the Great Emma Stone Movie We Thought Woody Allen Would Give Us?

Jose here. As Emma Stone enters the second phase of her reign as the Woodsman’s current muse, comparisons to Scarlett Johansson are important not for the obvious reasons (both stunningly beautiful young actresses at the peak of their raspy-voice sexiness) but because after making two films with him in consecutive years, she still doesn’t have her signature Woody role. Similarly, Johansson’s streak with Allen, which spanned three non-consecutive films from 2005-2008, was characterized for the “renaissance” quality it brought to his work, more than for containing “essential” Scarlett Johansson performances.

More on Stone and ScarJo after the jump... 

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Top Ten: Best Ingrid Bergman Kisses

Our Ingrid Bergman Centennial continues with David dreaming about her most romantic moments...

Like all stars of Classic Hollywood, Ingrid Bergman was paired with numerous leading men, and romance was an integral part of practically every film she starred in. And when I think of Ingrid Bergman, I think of - well, I think of #1 on this list. But we'll get to that. Here, in entirely subjective order, are Ingrid Bergman's best on-screen kisses. Start swooning.

Much kissing - oh, so much - after the jump. And, for those with bad internet connections, a whole lot of gifs - you have been warned.)

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First Look: Tom Hiddleston as Hank Williams

Manuel here, asking the very important question:

Is Tom Hiddleston the greatest Hat Actor of his generation? 

The question came to me as I got a first look at I Saw the Light, the upcoming biopic centered on country-western single Hank Williams, where Hiddleston will be showcasing his singing skills, as well as proving yet again that there's yet to be a hat he cannot pull of with ease and style.

Exhbit A:

If Hiddleston in a white ten gallon hat isn't enough to entice you, perhaps the supporting cast will. Elizabeth Olsen (!), Cherry Jones (!!), Bradley Whitford, Maddie Hasson, and Wren Schmidt round up the cast of Marc Abraham's film. I Saw the Light opens on November 27th. 

Between this and Crimson Peak, Loki is going to be mighty busy this Fall, don't you think? 

Debicki F.E.A.R.

Jose here. While watching The Man From U.N.C.L.E. yesterday and getting endless cinephile-boners from watching Elizabeth Debicki slink her way through the senseless plot - as she played the sexiest villain this side of Eartha Kitt as Catwoman - a pervading fear entered my mind: will Hollywood know what to do with her?

Combining the voice of la Blanchett, the statuesque-ness of Nicole and the effortless class of both Hepburns (although she's much more Kate than Audrey), Debicki might find spineless studio honchos not knowing what to do with her! Will they stick her to playing villains forever (she might've been a much more interesting Bond baddie than what hammy Christoph Waltz is doing in the Spectre trailers)? Will they stick her to playing icy sidekicks like she did in The Great Gatsby? If they saw what she was up to onstage in The Maids where she stole the show from both Blanchett and Isabelle Huppert (!!!), casting agents should be dreaming roles for her 24/7. However we know how these things usually turn out, and now I'm worried, we'll never see her again! *breathes into paper bag*

Dear readers, what movie-related fears invade your mind today?


Let Elizabeth whisk you away into dreamland as you come up with witty answers in the comments, we're all ears...