Looking at the Weekend: August 13-15, 2010

Another heavy weekend at the box office with three big films vying for the box office top spot hoping to take down The Other Guys. This week, we have video game-inspired comedy Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, spiritual romantic comedy Eat Pray Love, and Action Stars United feature The Expendables. Also coming out this weekend are anime feature Tales from Earthsea in limited release and Australian crime drama Animal Kingdom in New York and Los Angeles.

Consensus

Below is a list of what we have come to a general consensus on. The number in parens represents the percentage of our contributors who agree with the statement.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Although we agree it’s not an Oscar contender (75%), we are evenly split on whether or not to watch it.
Eat Pray Love: Breaking down 50-50 here as well, we cannot agree on whether to watch it or whether it will contend for Oscars.
The Expendables: We are mostly agreed not to watch it (75%) but perfectly aligned in whether it’s an Oscar player or not.
Tales from Earthsea: Despite being split on whether to watch it, we are mostly agreed it’s an Animated Feature contender (75%).
Animal Kingdom: We are very likely to watch the film (100%), but we aren’t so sure Oscar will want to honor it (50%).

WIDE RELEASES

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts I grew up in the video game era, so a part of this film plays to my inner geek. I don’t know that it will be that great, but I’ll give it a try.	Thoughts Another big screen video game, haven’t we had enough of those?	Thoughts This looks pretty dismal.	Thoughts It looks delightfully imaginative and should be yet another feather in Edgar Wright’s cap. I don’t know if it will compete for Oscars or not, but its best shot at a nomination should be for Best Film Editing.

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD

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Will We See?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

I grew up in the video game era, so a part of this film plays to my inner geek. I don’t know that it will be that great, but I’ll give it a try.

Thoughts

Another big screen video game, haven’t we had enough of those?

Thoughts

This looks pretty dismal.

Thoughts

It looks delightfully imaginative and should be yet another feather in Edgar Wright’s cap. I don’t know if it will compete for Oscars or not, but its best shot at a nomination should be for Best Film Editing.

EAT PRAY LOVE
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts I haven’t been interested in watching Julia Roberts play Julia Roberts in quite some time. This looks the opposite of enlightening.	Thoughts Ryan Murphy’s TV work (Nip/Tuck; Glee) is compelling but his one previous theatrical film (Running With Scissors) was a mess. Julia Roberts I can take or leave. Waitng for the reviews on this one.	Thoughts Looks like it could be enjoyable enough (I like the people involved), and could sneak in a couple of Oscar nods if the season doesn’t pick up.	Thoughts It looks another crappy Julia Roberts chick flick.

EAT PRAY LOVE

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Will We See?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

I haven’t been interested in watching Julia Roberts play Julia Roberts in quite some time. This looks the opposite of enlightening.

Thoughts

Ryan Murphy’s TV work (Nip/Tuck; Glee) is compelling but his one previous theatrical film (Running With Scissors) was a mess. Julia Roberts I can take or leave. Waitng for the reviews on this one.

Thoughts

Looks like it could be enjoyable enough (I like the people involved), and could sneak in a couple of Oscar nods if the season doesn’t pick up.

Thoughts

It looks another crappy Julia Roberts chick flick.

THE EXPENDABLES
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Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts Not only no, but hell no. I don’t care much for action films, but this film stars a number of the actors I most loathe watching, so not a chance.	Thoughts Sylvester Stallone needs to retire.	Thoughts This looks horrible, but for some reason I really want to check it out.	Thoughts While it’s kind of cool that they were able to assemble a cast that includes almost every action movie star from the past 35 years, it probably won’t be much of a movie and is much too similar to “The Losers” and “The A-Team.” The stunt casting is pretty much all it has going for it, but I have to ask: where are Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal?

THE EXPENDABLES

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Will We See?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

Not only no, but hell no. I don’t care much for action films, but this film stars a number of the actors I most loathe watching, so not a chance.

Thoughts

Sylvester Stallone needs to retire.

Thoughts

This looks horrible, but for some reason I really want to check it out.

Thoughts

While it’s kind of cool that they were able to assemble a cast that includes almost every action movie star from the past 35 years, it probably won’t be much of a movie and is much too similar to “The Losers” and “The A-Team.” The stunt casting is pretty much all it has going for it, but I have to ask: where are Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal?

LIMITED RELEASES

TALES FROM EARTHSEA
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts I love Miyazaki, but his son has no historical frame of reference, so unless this stacks up to Hayao Miyazaki’s films, I won’t have any desire to see it.	Thoughts It’s a cartoon. Other than that, I know nothing about it and no interest in finding out.	Thoughts I will see anything Studio Ghibli puts out.	Thoughts It might be worth a look, especially since it’s from Studio Ghibli. Still, the reviews haven’t been too kind and Hayao Miyazaki didn’t actually direct it, so it probably won’t be the heavyweight that “Spirited Away” and “Howl’s Moving Castle” were.

TALES FROM EARTHSEA

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Preview

Will We See?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

I love Miyazaki, but his son has no historical frame of reference, so unless this stacks up to Hayao Miyazaki’s films, I won’t have any desire to see it.

Thoughts

It’s a cartoon. Other than that, I know nothing about it and no interest in finding out.

Thoughts

I will see anything Studio Ghibli puts out.

Thoughts

It might be worth a look, especially since it’s from Studio Ghibli. Still, the reviews haven’t been too kind and Hayao Miyazaki didn’t actually direct it, so it probably won’t be the heavyweight that “Spirited Away” and “Howl’s Moving Castle” were.

NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES RELEASES

ANIMAL KINGDOM
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?	Will We See?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts Not a huge fan of the crime drama, but this is the kind of modestly interesting premise that I might one day catch on DVD>	Thoughts A well received Australian coming of age/gangster film sounds like the week’s best new release though I probably won’t get to see it until it comes out on DVD.	Thoughts Great buzz from the festival circuit.	Thoughts It’s gotten some pretty good reviews, but I probably won’t watch it until it comes out on DVD or television.

ANIMAL KINGDOM

See the original
CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster
Preview

Will We See?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

Not a huge fan of the crime drama, but this is the kind of modestly interesting premise that I might one day catch on DVD>

Thoughts

A well received Australian coming of age/gangster film sounds like the week’s best new release though I probably won’t get to see it until it comes out on DVD.

Thoughts

Great buzz from the festival circuit.

Thoughts

It’s gotten some pretty good reviews, but I probably won’t watch it until it comes out on DVD or television.