It’s the final weekend of July, and it almost feels like the summer movie season’s version of Labor Day weekend. No, we don’t get a day off from work, but with Cowboys & Aliens arriving this weekend it kinda feels like the last of the giant popcorn blockbusters are arriving in theaters. Sure we still have movies like Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Final Destination 5, but those movies don’t seem as epic as, say, Cowboys & Aliens or Captain America: The First Avenger. So as we wave goodbye to the meat-and-bones of the 2011 summer movie season, let’s take a look at this week’s competition:
What’s The Scoop: It’s the late 1800s and a bunch of real serious cowboys (lead by Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford) must square off against a nasty ship full of invading aliens who’ve kidnapped a bunch of their loved ones.
Why It Might Win the Weekend: It’s got a great ensemble cast (tack on Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell and Paul Dano to that list), and it comes with an interesting hook. Plus, admit it: You’ve always wanted to see what it’d look like if a bunch of old-timey cowboys took on some futuristic aliens, right?
What’s The Scoop: Our old blue friends have been given a fresh CG update and transported to present day Manhattan for an adventure that shows you what happens when the Smurfs meet the real world.
Why It Might Win the Weekend: While today’s kids may not be too familiar with The Smurfs, their parents will be … and that alone – plus a little thing called, “How do we occupy the kids for two hours so they don’t drive us insane?!” – may be enough to propel this family-friendly flick to the top spot at the box office.
What’s The Scoop: Steve Carrell plays a somewhat bumbling middle-aged man recently ditched by his wife who befriends a young, hot sex machine (Ryan Gosling) in order to learn how to succeed in dating.
Why It Might Win the Weekend: Early buzz has been strong, as is the cast, which makes this the weekend’s perfect date movie. Question is: How much of the paying audience will be going out on dates over the next two days?
My Prediction: While I’m unsure of how strong Cowboys & Aliens will open, I do think it will win the weekend, if only because audiences will be itching to see Harrison Ford’s return to big-budget action spectacle.
My Pick of the Week: There are actually two alien invasion movies arriving this weekend, and the other is more worthy of your hard-earned dollars. Trust me and seek out Attack the Block, the British import that’s easily one of the best genre flicks of the year.
Now it’s your turn to sound off below and let us know which film you think will win the weekend …
