Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Despite the forewarning to expect the unexpected, the expected happened and "The Bourne Legacy" wound up taking first place. "The Dark Knight Rises" finally fell.
Batman's fall was not insignificant, as "Dark Knight" fell not one, but two places into third. The second place movie, "The Campaign," was a dark horse candidate that performed spectacularly well, either in spite of or because of Mitt Romney finally announcing his vice-presidential running mate.
Fourth place went to "Hope Springs." Last on the Top 5 list went to "Total Recall," making a large drop from its second place spot the week prior.
This week sees several new releases. Wednesday heralded the release of "The Odd Life of Timothy Green," attempting to beat the Friday rush and grow its lead early as the weekend approached. This PG Disney fantasy is unlikely to make the Top 5 list this week due to the fierce competition.
Friday dawned with three additional wide releases. In no particular order, "The Expendables 2," an R-rated action film made its debut. Next is "ParaNorman," a stop-motion 3-D PG animated horror film. Lastly is "Sparkle," a PG-13 musical drama.
The predictions for the weekend of Aug. 17 are:
1. "The Expendables 2"
#poll
Arnold is back. Arnold Schwarzenegger, that is. And so is Bruce Willis, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, and a handful of additional A-list actors. A sequel to 2010's "Expendables," this action plot revolves around a group of mercenaries seeking vigilante justice against a rival group who is also in possession of a deadly weapon.
2. "ParaNorman"
This stop-motion PG film provides an interesting counterpoint to many of the similar animated films viewers might be accustomed to, such as those originating from Aardman. Norman, whose namesake is preserved in the title, is a misunderstood youth who can communicate with the spirits of those who have died. Faced with the potential destruction of his town, he must ally the dead and undead in a race to undo a threatening curse.
3. "The Bourne Legacy"
Perhaps beset by the fact that "Bourne Legacy" was absent Matt Damon in the role of Jason Bourne, this continuation of the series nevertheless did well. Earning top spot, Jeremy Renner takes the proverbial reins and picks up a side-story about other agents who were part of the secretive Operation Treadstone. An action-packed PG-13 adventure, the scenery is gorgeous, and the plot, while notably different than the other three preceding films, will satisfy those who enjoyed the original trilogy.
4. "Sparkle"
This musical drama will be perhaps best known for its star, Whitney Houston. Not only is "Sparkle" her last film, but it also contains the last song she is known to have recorded before her untimely and tragic death earlier this year. Aside from the draw Houston will have on viewers, "Sparkle" will also appeal to some because it is a remake of the 1976 film of the same title. The story revolves around three teenage singers and the struggles they face as they integrate music into their lives.
5. "The Campaign"
The sleeper in last week's Top 5 upset, "The Campaign" did remarkably well. Helping the American public offset the general angst created by the unavoidable political furor that currently bombards every medium, this R-rated comedy provides welcome relief. Perhaps the candidates can take a quick pit-stop from stumping to learn some valuable lessons on what to do and what not to do this election season. Starring Will Ferrell, supported by John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd and others, "The Campaign" revolves around two southerners vying for the same congressional seat.
Joseph Irvine is a strategic consultant in Madison, Ala. Currently in Salt Lake City to visit relatives and attempt to court JoAnna, his date for the weekend, Joseph is again basking in the shadows of the everlasting hills.
