The Weekend Report: Off the Grid

The final rundown to the end of the year begins right now, and though I'm excited by the progress and the income that this year has afforded the film industry despite having few real event films, I feel this weekend will be a letdown from last year. It seems unreasonable at first, seeing as this weekend ushers in the release of a highly anticipated science-fiction feature, a live-action/CGI kids pic, and a fun rom-com. On the other hand, last year gave us Avatar, and we all know how that fared in the box office. There isn't a single new release this weekend that has been positively reviewed, but when has that mattered to people?

Starting at the top, TRON: Legacy is the main release of the weekend, and I should have my review for the film up by the end of the day. What concerns me is how audiences will react to it. Audiences will probably go out in droves at first, mostly because of the flashy visuals and legitimate 3D. After that, I feel like people will taper off and income will drop dramatically, because the film has a mild problem with ensnaring people to see it a second time. This weekend will have a huge income for the film, but don't expect it to last like James Cameron's epic did last year.

As for the other two films, they're rather throwaway works of mediocrity. The most obvious one in that sense is, regrettably, Yogi Bear. This film was overwhelmingly hated months before its release. If I actually had the bravery to see it, it would top my Worst of 2010 list. I honestly don't believe there's a soul on earth with the heart enough to honestly go into it and enjoy it. If you do, I worry for your soul. Then there's James L. Brooks' latest romantic-comedy, How Do You Know, which has been resting on the outside of the Oscar race, because we weren't really sure if it was going to be good or not. Buzz isn't ecstatic enough to warrant a campaign, so I wouldn't put it up in your predictions any time.

It all seems rather dim, but if you don't have any TRON: Legacy or any of the other new releases this weekend, there is an intellectual alternative. The Fighter is expanding to wide release this weekend, and I'll probably end up devoting a few hours of my time to that title. I'm definitely ready for the film to surprise me, which I sure hope it does. Also, Black Swan has already started on its expansion this weekend with just under 1000 screens nationwide. I'm probably going to wait a few days, but it's still on the top of my list of films that I still need to see.