This weekend two films open nationwide trying to temporarily improve the dreary domestic box office.
The first film of the weekend is "Oz: The Great and Powerful" starring Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, and Michelle Williams. The film has obtained mixed reviews with an aggregate of 57% on Rotten Tomatoes. Distributed by Buena Vista, the film will launch in 3, 912 theaters and is expected to make $90-100 million at the box office.
Film District will distribute "Dead Man Down" in 2,188 theaters this weekend. The film, starring Noomi Rapace, Colin Farrell and Terence Howard, scored medoicre reviews with 43 percent approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes. "Down" is yet another action film in a slew of movies that failed at the box office and this one looks to score less than $10 million over the three days.
The last wide release is Roadside Attraction's "Emperor" opening in 260 theaters. Reviews have been bad with critics stating that "The effort to put a personal face on the major issue of occupation is as timely as Iraq and Afghanistan, but the execution is clumsy and cliché-ridden." The Tommy Lee Jones and Matthew Fox starrer was programmed late and although the company has been a getting a promotional push it would be lucky to earn over $1 million this weekend.
In art house cinemas the Romanian film "Beyond the Hills" opens in limited release. The IFC picture won the Best Actress and Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival and was Roanias official Academy Awards selection. Music Box will release The Silence while Magnolia will release the horror movie "The ABC's of Death."
Fox Searchlight will expand "Stoker" into 17 theaters after a successful opening weekend while 20th Century Fox will continue to bank on the Oscar winning picture "Life of Pi" before its DVD release.