We actually had some heavy-hitters this week! Hurrah! Oh, something of note–I realized that on my other B.O.B. posts, I would write x% rotten if a film was really rotten (for example, Case 39 is 26% rotten). That’s how I’ve always classified if something is rotten or fresh in my head, but I realize that 1) that’s not mathematically correct and 2) it might confuse people. So from now on, I’ll make sure to just say something is “fresh” and then clarify how rotten it is if it’s really rotten. You can see what I mean in the rest of the post below.
Case 39 is our lowest-scoring film, rating at 26% fresh ( 74% rotten) on Rotten Tomatoes and grossing $5,350570 last weekend. On the box office charts, it only tops out at number seven. Overall, the critics felt that the film was unoriginal and soulless despite the style of the director:
“This overly familiar, wholly unoriginal would-be psychological thriller provokes few reactions outside of boredom and — in, sadly, too few moments — derisive laughter.”–Flick Filosopher
“As far as major studio supernatural thrillers are concerned, this one is pretty darn good, a well-crafted, aesthetically artful suspenser.”–DustinPutman.com
“Paramount has little faith in this supernatural fright film…and with good reason”–filmcritic.com
Let Me In is 86% percent fresh, however, it grossed less than Case 39, making $5,147,479. It also came in lower on the b.o. charts at number eight. The critics felt that this movie was similar enough to the Swedish original to make fans happy while having enough changes to make it original enough for American audiences. Basically, there weren’t a whole lot of strange departures from the original, so no new ground was really tread here:
“Somber, supernatural spooky – it’s an admirable adaptation of the Swedish vampire thriller.”–susangranger.com
“Let Me In is simply riveting, dark and ominous, cruel and unrelenting, sprinkled with bittersweet moments and sentiment.”–The Movie Kit
“The poetic Swedish vampire picture (with arterial spray) Let the Right One In has been hauntingly well transplanted to the high desert of Los Alamos, New Mexico, and renamed Let Me In.”–New York Magazine
The Social Network is the clear-cut winner, both financially and critically; it garnered a 97% fresh rating and came in at number one on the box-office chart, grossing $22,445,653. Overall, critics felt the film was smartly and tightly written with crackling-hot dialogue, inspired performances, and a new-found life in the career of Jesse Eisenberg, who has now separated himself from the Michael Cera School of Acting:
“The scariest screen villain in a half century, since Psycho’s Norman Bates, given that this inscrutable creep actually exists in real life.”–TheLoop21.com
“A modern morality tale full of rich performances by a great young cast playing from a smart, canny script. The Social Network is one of the coolest, sharpest films of the year.”–TheDivaReview.com
“Makes a seemingly dry civil law suit story a fascinating sexy watch.”–Ozsus’ World Movie Reviews
The top movies of this week are:
The Social Network: $22,445,653
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole: this week–$10,887,429, overall–$30,079,298
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps: this week–$10,002,578, overall–$35,778,429
The Town: this week–$9,749,332, overall–$64,056,752
Easy A: this week–$6,748,777, overall–$42,176,967
All ratings stats from Rotten Tomatoes, all monetary stats from Box Office Mojo .
