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SALT LAKE CITY -- This column had last week's first- and second-place picks reversed. While accurately forecasting that "The Hunger Games" would see its downfall from first place, "Think Like a Man" wound up the surprising victor at the box office. Following was "The Lucky One," which unluckily landed in second.
The prediction made in last week's column that "Hunger Games" would land in third was correct. "Chimpanzee" surprised everyone and landed a fourth-place spot, followed in fifth by "The Three Stooges."
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Given the huge wave of new films rolling in this weekend, "The Three Stooges" will not make another Top 5 list. It is worth noting in parting, therefore, a Utah connection to "Stooges." Utah actor Kirby Heyborne of "The Best Two Years" fame happened to be a member of the "Stooges" cast.
Also worth noting is that while "Hunger Games" dropped to third as expected, its success has been nothing short of phenomenal. In its first 33 days it grossed $359,219,019 million. To put that in perspective, the long-awaited grand finale "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" grossed $359,637,778 million during its first 33 days — just a hair more mathematically.
The first reaction that came to mind when the weekend numbers were published was Ken Jennings' tragic loss to Nancy Zerg after an amazing and certainly unexpected run of successes as he won 74 consecutive "Jeopardy!" matches. The unforeseeable success he had in many ways parallels that of "Hunger Games." Both reached the positions they did with unimaginably large margins based on their own merits.
Needless to say, there will be "Hunger Games" sequels. The million-dollar question is whether it will survive one more week or be swept out to sea by the tide of new releases.
There are four major newcomers this weekend. While that will be fantastic for all but the most indecisive of theater-goers, it makes trying to accurately sort out the Top 5 list nearly impossible. The first new wide release is "The Five-Year Engagement," an R-rated romantic comedy. Next is "The Pirates! Band of Misfits," a PG animated family film. Following that is "The Raven," an R-rated horror film. Last is "Safe," an R-rated action film.
The predictions for the weekend of Apr. 27 are:
1. "The Pirates! Band of Misfits"
Ahoy mateys! Buried treasure can be found in this family-friendly PG film; one of the few in wide release this weekend that can appropriately suit audiences of all ages. This stop-motion animated film is courtesy of Aardman, the creators of a number of popular franchises, including "Wallace and Gromit." Featuring the voice of Hugh Grant, this comedy revolves around an inept lot of pirates who set out on a series of misadventures. Based on the popularity that its beloved Aardman predecessors have had, it is a safe bet for first place.
This R-rated romantic comedy features Jason Segal and Emily Blunt. The focus of the film becomes the strained relationship that develops between a couple who decide to keep extending their engagement, ultimately putting off a wedding. While facing some tepid initial reviews, it should manage to place itself on the list given the popularity of the genre and the stars that it brings to to the table. It is unlikely to remain on the list for long, however.
3. "Think Like a Man"
"Think Like a Man" is based on the book by Steve Harvey of the same title. Featuring a series of couples, this PG-13 comedy revolves around turning the tide on romantic partners after the men learn those they were courting were heeding the advice of Steve Harvey.
4. "Safe"
Starring Jason Statham, this R-rated thriller features a NYPD police officer who rescues an abducted Chinese girl and protects her from the ruthless New York criminal underworld. This action thriller should do well. It parallels "Safe House" in many regards. "Safe House" had a strong performance during its release several months ago. A similar demographic will likely turn out to support "Safe."
5. "The Lucky One"
Based on the Nicholas Sparks novel, this romantic drama was impressive, scoring second place above "Hunger Games." The main character, an Iraq war veteran, finds a photograph of a woman he has never met. Treasuring it during his tour of duty, he make it his mission to seek out and find this mysterious person upon his return to the states.
Joseph Irvine is an information assurance engineer in Madison, Ala. A tremendous fan of Ken Jennings, Joseph would love to some day have a conversation with him and would be honored if he happened to stumble across this article.
