Box Office: John, Paul, Ringo, George... and Sully
Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 3:37PM 
What did you see at the movies this weekend? Or were you too busy bingewatching Emmy nominees before the ceremony tonight? Here's what was hottest at the box office. Other than Sully and the new Beatles Documentary Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (which won the highest per screen average of the weekend on its 85 screens), "lukewarm" might be a better description for the new releases, none of which cracked 8 figures. Sorry Bridget! You've been gone too long.
TOP TEN
01 Sully $22 (cum. $70.5) Review
02 Blair Witch $9.6 NEW Review & Remembering Blair Witch (1999)
03 Bridget Jones's Baby $8.2 NEW Review
04 Snowden $8 NEW
05 Don't Breathe $5.6 (cum. $75.3)
06 When the Bough Breaks $5.5 (cum $22.6)
07 Suicide Squad $4.7 (cum. $313.7) Review & Worst of Year
08 The Wild Life $2.6 (cum. $6.6)
09 Kubo and the Two Strings $2.5 (cum. $44.2) Review
10 Pete's Dragon $2 (cum $72.8) Review
Next week Sully will surely be overthrown when Denzel and six other magnificents arrive in that shoot-em-up western.
Sully, The Beatles, box office
Reader Comments (23)
Has anyone else had as much Box Office pull and longevity like Hanks,
I saw Don't Breathe and bought a ticket to Sully but I fell asleep fifteen minutes in and struggled to stay awake until the very last scene. Don't Breathe was pretty damn good. It had one or two things that irked me but for the most part, it was well-shot, tightly paced and intriguing. Even though I slept through most of Sully, I could tell pretty early on that there wasn't enough story for a feature film; and what story there was wasn't very compelling.
Sully, which is very well made. It has some Hollywood aspects, including excessive product placement and Laura Linney as the wife on the phone (wouldn't you want to be with your spouse), but the story is amazing.
I saw Jason Bourne, unfortunately. I wanted to walk out during the second (of many) unwatchable-because-of-too-fast-editing fight sequences. I stuck it out for Riz Ahmed (who never ceases to be fascinating and specific in his roles, however underwritten) and Vikander. Unfortunately they ended the movie with a weird "gotcha" moment/middle finger to the latter character, to get Bourne back on his lone wolf alpha man wandering course. In other words, back where he was at the start of the movie. But at least they killed off Julia Stiles. Because who would want to watch a woman over 30 who was an integral part of the series? Much better to explain that she was "manipulated" and hence kinda deserved to die. :/
I saw The Light Between Oceans, which deserved MUCH better from audiences. Apparently audiences just don't want handsomely-made, deeply felt, well-performed period melodramas based on bestselling novels starring some of our most talented and most beautiful stars anymore. And that makes me more than a little bit sad. It was a bit on the long side, but I was wholly engrossed the entire time I was watching it. Great performances from Fassbender, Vikander, and Weisz should be part of awards conversation, but now that the film sank at the box office I'm sure they won't be.
Didn't go to the theatre this weekend, but did manage to FINALLY see CACW. Disappointing doesn't even begin to describe how I felt about it.
I saw " Hell or High Water" which is a very good movie- great script, direction and cast . Chris Pine is not just a good looking leading man but he can act. The movie is very satisfying mix of action, drama, comedy -a very good night at the movies.
I would say of modern actors, Hanks and Streep have had the longest runs for men and women at the box office. Others' movies may have grossed more, but they can't claim to be the main draw for that long.
Hanks - Splash (1984) to Sully (2016): 32 years
Streep - Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) to Florence Foster Jenkins (2016): 37 years
Yes but Meryl hasn't had a huge hit since 2009.
Denzel Washington has had hits since the late 80s through now too
markgordon
I would rather be steady for 37 years... than a flash in the pan for 10 years!!!
Into the Woods made over $200m worldwide and it's her face on the poster with top billing. Sure, it was supporting but she was the main candy.
Agree that Denzel has also had enduring appeal.
My official review of "Blair Witch" = "thanks, but nah." It's fine.
I feel bad for "Bridget Jones" but not bad enough to buy a ticket, apparently.
I saw Bridget Jones and the Jason Statham Mechanic movie.
I'd read comments about Jessica Alba's acting improving. So she does look different, more relaxed and comfortable on her own skin. I attributed it to her now being independently wealthy through her business efforts, and no longer having to be constantly pleasing others.
After theatre discussion was how different or the same we would be if relieved of the burden of pleasing others for our livelihood.
Chris: What's CACW?
I saw two movies about Queens.
The Queen of Ireland is a great little doco. I cried at the end. But that could also have been because of the asshole two seats over who made as much noise as humanly possible throughout the film.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Cate was still great. But it reminded me that Abbie Cornish really needs a good role. When will that happen?
Snowden! Not a movie I'd typically see, but it was surprisingly good - a lovely little unexpected love story at its center, and great subject material!
I saw Queen of Katwe, which I just wrote about in the comments to Nat's TIFF Index post. Well, I wrote about Lupita. (Get that second Oscar nomination!)
And Snowden, which was a bit too hagiographic but totally carried by JGL.
I was a busy bee this weekend: SULLY (one of the year's worst, for me) and BRIDGET JONES"S BABY in theatres, and EQUALS and a rewatch of SING STREET at home
Denny: I really enjoyed Light Between Oceans as well. It's final act got a bit soapy but otherwise it was wonderful. Vikander and Fassbender were great in it.
I watched Sully which was Okay I guess ? Hanks is great as usual, but I don't remember much about this movie and I only saw it 3 days ago!
I finally saw The Fits and it was outstanding. Everyone should see it!
I've also been watching Happy Valley and it is very good as well. I guess I should finally watch The Fall after this...?
Suzanne - I also finally saw The Fits! So fascinating. Even with such a short time, it kind of ebbed and flowed for me until that ending. When I finally put it all together I was wow-ed.
Also saw Shadow of a Doubt. Also a fascinating movie - can you imagine a major film getting maid today where the protagonist is a 16-year-old girl who's sweet and pretty but also assertive (without getting punished by her parents for it), smart and confused, allowed a love interest and a dip into the dark side? It just wouldn't happen.