Looking at the Weekend: Jul. 28-30, 2017

Animation vs. action at the box office with two movies attempt to dethrone Dunkirk, which is expected to have a solid hold-over. In The Emoji Movie‘s favor is that there hasn’t been an animation or children-targeted release in a month when Despicable Me 3 opened. There should be pent-up desire to see the film. However, early reviews have been non-existent because the studio is afraid of negative press and has refused to screen it for critics. Meanwhile, Atomic Blonde is riding a solid 81% Rotten Tomatoes rating (though, the 6.8 average rating isn’t spectacular), which suggests it could be a strong player for the weekend. Looking back at Charlize Theron’s action openings and they haven’t been spectacular when she’s been the main draw, but have been astronomical when paired with others. However, the stylish action film might be able to delve into the Baby Driver-type support and run away with the box office. I suspect Atomic Blonde will come in second because even crappy animation is box office ambrosia.

Our Highest Rated Films: Atomic Blonde, Menashe
Our Best Awards Ratings: The Emoji Movie (Oscars)

OTHER LIMITED RELEASES

30 Years of Garbage: The Garbage Pail Kids Story
I Dream In Another Language
An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power

Jul. 28-30, 2017
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Atomic Blonde (Wide Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	6.3 Wesley Lovell: (10) Peter J. Patrick: (5) Tripp Burton: (4) Thomas LaTourrette: (6)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): After that first thrilling trailer, I was hooked. I can’t wait to see it. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Good cast in graphic novel adaptation appears to be secondary to the film’s special effects. Tripp Burton (TB): Charlize Theron as an action star hasn’t always been my favorite of her roles, but I know a lot of people are really excited about this. Thomas LaTourette (TL): The trailer looks too excessively violent for my tastes, but it may be better than it looks.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
The Emoji Movie (Wide Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	2.8 Wesley Lovell: (0) Peter J. Patrick: (5) Tripp Burton: (3) Thomas LaTourrette: (3)	1.3 Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (4,Oscars) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (1,Oscars)	Categories: Animated Feature (PP,TL)
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): Patrick Stewart’s character is the one that best epitomizes my feelings for this film: poop. Peter J. Patrick (PP): The trailer made me smile, maybe the film will as well. Tripp Burton (TB): This sounds abysmal, but my emoji-loving kids are too excited for me not to be stuck seeing it this week. Thomas LaTourette (TL): This looks like a poor man’s version of Inside Out with emojis instead of feelings. I don’t think it will be very good.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
A Family Man (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	3.5 Wesley Lovell: (5) Peter J. Patrick: (4) Tripp Burton: (3) Thomas LaTourrette: (2)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): There’s something that appeals to me about the film even though I expect it to be quite generic. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Generic looking tearjerker could be a hard sell. Tripp Burton (TB): This looks like one giant cliche. Thomas LaTourette (TL): The trailer tries way too hard to pull at the heartstrings. I think 108 minutes of it would get incredibly painful.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
From the Land of the Moon (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	4.0 Wesley Lovell: (5) Peter J. Patrick: (4) Tripp Burton: (3) Thomas LaTourrette: (4)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): The cast makes it seem worthwhile, but the trailer does not. Peter J. Patrick (PP): French hit from last year seems dated. Tripp Burton (TB): This feels like the sort of movie that no one would really think twice about if it wasn’t in a foreign language. Thomas LaTourette (TL): The reviews talk about a decent love triangle movie, but the trailer was pretty dull. Marion Cotillard called for her “Amour” way too many times in the trailer.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Menashe (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	5.8 Wesley Lovell: (2) Peter J. Patrick: (6) Tripp Burton: (7) Thomas LaTourrette: (8)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): Not a story I’m particularly interested in. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Low key Yiddish drama looks interesting. Tripp Burton (TB): This looks like a very interesting journey to a community we don’t often see on screen. Thomas LaTourette (TL): The trailer is unexciting, but the early reviews talk about the glimpse into a society that we know so little about that it sounds quite interesting.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Mubarakan (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	3.5 Wesley Lovell: (5) Peter J. Patrick: (4) Tripp Burton: (2) Thomas LaTourrette: (3)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): I haven’t had much experience with Bollywood, but this one doesn’t look too bad. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Bollywood comedy looks too frenetic for my tastes. Tripp Burton (TB): I don’t know what to make of this except it looks dreadful. Thomas LaTourette (TL): If overdone Bollywood films are your cup of tea, then this is the film for you. Others should approach dubiously.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Person to Person (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	4.5 Wesley Lovell: (3) Peter J. Patrick: (2) Tripp Burton: (8) Thomas LaTourrette: (5)	.8 Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (3,Critics) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: Original Screenplay (TB)
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): This looks like a rather dull film, thus my limited interest. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Uninteresting looking drama about a supposedly typical day in New York. Tripp Burton (TB): This is being compared to vintage Woody Allen, and that is enough to get me excited to see it. Thomas LaTourette (TL): The trailer feels like it is trying too hard to be a heartfelt movie with a disparate cast of characters, but I did not feel emotionally drawn to any of them.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Strange Weather (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	5.3 Wesley Lovell: (4) Peter J. Patrick: (5) Tripp Burton: (7) Thomas LaTourrette: (5)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): I like Holly Hunter, but this film looks like a bit of a drag. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Appears to be a showcase for Holly Hunter as a mother looking to avenge the death of her son. Tripp Burton (TB): A Holly Hunter vehicle is always a welcome sight in my eyes. Thomas LaTourette (TL): Holly Hunter is usually worth watching, though this melodramatic movie may make that difficult.
Film	Our Thoughts	Awards Chances
Wolf Warrior 2 (Limited Release) See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview	1.5 Wesley Lovell: (1) Peter J. Patrick: (2) Tripp Burton: (2) Thomas LaTourrette: (1)	Nil Wesley Lovell: (Nil) Peter J. Patrick: (Nil) Tripp Burton: (Nil) Thomas LaTourrette: (Nil)	Categories: None
	Individual Commentary:
	Wesley Lovell (WL): Throw-away martial arts films like this aren’t my interest. Peter J. Patrick (PP): Senseless looking sequel to a 3-yer-old movie I have no memory of having been released. Tripp Burton (TB): Did I miss Wolf Warrior 1? Thomas LaTourette (TL): I did not see the original, and I have no desire to see this ultra-violent sequel.