Since the beginning of the summer movie season was firmly established as the first weekend of May, the usual pattern has been for a huge movie to open that weekend (in recent years, most likely a Marvel movie), followed a week later by a lesser blockbuster. Though when summer movies started rolling out later in the month, you could get a huge blockbuster this weekend, or a minor burn-off, or nothing new at all.
One Year Ago--May 8, 2020:
#1 Movie:
Trolls World Tour (unofficially)/The Wretched (officially)
New Theatrical Releases:
How to Build a Girl--$0.07 million/196/79%/69--This well-received comedy, sort of a British, female, 80s-set version of Almost Famous, stars Beanie Feldstein as a poor teenager who lands a gig writing (negative) rock music reviews, while cultivating a crush on a up-and-coming musician (Alfie Allen). Paddy Considine played her father, and there were cameos from Jamella Jamil, Emma Thompson, Chris O'Dowd, Michael Sheen, Lucy Punch, Gemma Arterton, and Allen's sister Lily.
Director: Coky Giedroyc
Valley Girl--NA/NA/59%/53--This jukebox musical remake of the 1983 comedy (Nicolas Cage's first starring role) stars Jessica Rothe as the titular girl, who in the early 1980s decides to rebel against the life planned out for her by dating a punk musician (Josh Whitehouse) and going to college in New York instead of staying in Los Angeles. Alicia Silverstone, Mae Whitman, Logan Paul, Judy Greer, Rob Huebel, Randall Park, and Thomas Lennon co-starred. Reviews were mixed, as critics preferred the original. Despite getting a limited theatrical release to the handful of drive-in theaters open, MGM chose not to report the grosses. This was filmed in 2017 and sat on the shelf for three years.
Director: Rachel Lee Goldenberg
New Streaming Releases:
Arkansas--47%/55--This crime thriller jumps back and forth between the 1980s, when pawnbroker Vince Vaughn builds his drug empire, and the present day, when low-level flunkies Liam Hemsworth and Clark Duke (who also co-wrote the screenplay and made his feature directorial debut) unknowingly work for kingpin Vaughn and are forced to leave a trail of bodies in their wake. Michael Kenneth Williams, Vivica A. Fox, and John Malkovich co-star. Despite the good cast, reviews of this were largely mixed.
Director: Clark Duke
Blue Story--93%/69--This British gang drama, inspired by the real life of writer-director Rapman, is about a teenager (Stephen Odubola) who finds himself caught in the middle when his current best friend (Michael Ward) and childhood best friend (Khali Best), members of rival gangs, start a personal vendetta against each other.
Director: Rapman (Andrew Onwubolu)
Hearts and Bones--81%/71--This critically acclaimed Australian drama stars Hugo Weaving as a war photographer who strikes up a friendship with a Sudanese refugee (Andrew Luri, making his film debut) who objects to Weaving's plans to include photos from a massacre in his home village.
Director: Ben Lawrence
Working Man--93%/72--After being laid off, a former factory worker (Peter Gerety) continues to return to his now-shuttered workplace every day, an act that at first brings confusion, but later inspires his run-down, working-class neighborhood. Talia Shire played his wife in this well-received drama.
Director: Robert Jury
Five Years Ago--May 6, 2016:
New Wide Releases:
Captain America: Civil War--1/$179.1 million/$408.1 million/3/90%/75--Even though this was the third Captain America film, it essentially functioned as Avengers 2.5, as the once-unbreakable bond between the team fractured due to a UN proposal to place government supervision over them, which Cap (Chris Evans) opposes and Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) supports. Meanwhile, a terrorist (Daniel Brühl) with his own grudge against the Avengers works to exploit the rift. Returning from previous MCU movies are Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Antony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olson, Paul Rudd, Emily VanCamp, William Hurt, John Slattery, Kerry Condon, and (of course) Stan Lee, with franchise newcomers include Hope Davis, Alfre Woodward, Marisa Tomei as Aunt May, Tom Holland as Peter Parker, and Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa. The film, as expected, dominated the early summer box office, and even if it didn't quite live up to the Avengers-fueled expectations, it did end up as the second-highest non-Avengers MCU film at the time. The next series entry, Doctor Strange, would arrive in November.
Director: Anthony and Joe Russo
New Limited Releases:
A Bigger Splash--$2 million/201/89%/74--The secluded Italian villa of rock star Tilda Swinton and her much younger lover Matthias Schoenaerts is invaded by Swinton's ex, music producer Ralph Fiennes and his daughter Dakota Johnson, after which the new arrivals start to make plays for the couple. This drama got decent reviews, but even with Swinton, Fiennes, and Johnson coming off Fifty Shades of Grey, this failed to make much of a splash outside of art houses. Swinton, Johnson, director Luca Guadagnino, and screenwriter David Kajganich would reunite in 2018 for the remake of the horror film Suspiria.
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Dheepan--$0.3 million/322/87%/76--A refugee from the Sri Lankan Civil War (Antonythasan Jesuthasan) is able to emigrate to France, only to discover that, thanks to drug gangs overrunning the housing project he landed a job at his new home is every bit as dangerous as his old one. This highly acclaimed drama would win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, but would not make much of an impact at the North American box office.
Director: Jacques Audiard
Ten Years Ago--May 13, 2011:
#1 Movie:
Thor--$34.7 million
New Wide Releases:
Bridesmaids--2/$26.3 million/$169.1 million/14/90%/75--When her best friend (Maya Rudolph) gets engaged, a down-on-her-luck baker (Kristen Wiig, who also co-wrote the script) finds herself constantly upstaged by a wealthy bridesmaid (Rose Byrne). Wendi McLendon-Covey, Elle Kemper, and Melissa McCarthy (in her breakthrough performance, and the first of four films she has made with director Paul Feig so far) played the other bridesmaids, and Jon Hamm, Chris O'Dowd, Matt Lucas, Rebel Wilson (in her first major role), Michael Hitchcock, Tim Heidecker, Ben Falcone (McCarthy's real-life husband), Terry Crews, Jillian Bell, Pat Carroll, Wiig's co-writer Anne Mumolo, Carnie Wilson, Chynna Phillips, Wendy Wilson, and, in her final performance, Jill Clayburgh co-star. The comedy got rave reviews and became an unexpected box-office smash, ending up the second-highest-grossing film of the year that was not part of a franchise. McCarthy would be Oscar-nominated for Supporting Actress, and the script would get an Original Screenplay nod.
Director: Paul Feig
Priest--4/$15 million/$29.1 million/101/15%/41--After a centuries-long war between human and vampires is seemingly over, a priest (Paul Bettany) learns that vampires have killed his brother (Stephen Moyer) and sister-in-law (Mädchen Amick) and kidnapped his niece (Lily Collins) and sets out to rescue them, while the Monsignor (Christopher Plummer) tries to stop him, fearing the loss of his authority if it was learned the vampire danger was still out there. Cam Gigandet, Maggie Q, Brad Dourif, and Karl Urban co-star. The sci-fi horror thriller, which got mostly terrible reviews, opened to disappointing numbers, and then almost instantly cratered, not even being able to double its opening weekend, which explains why the sequel hook has gone unfulfilled.
Director: Scott Stewart
Fifteen Years Ago--May 12, 2006:
#1 Movie:
Mission: Impossible III--$25 million
New Wide Releases:
Poseidon--2/$22.2 million/$60.7 million/49/33%/50--This remake of the 1972 disaster classic about the survivors of a capsized, upside down ocean liner trying to make their way up to the hull (which, weirdly, had also gotten a TV miniseries remake just the year before) starred Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, and Richard Dreyfuss, along with Emmy Rossum, Mike Vogel, Kevin Dillon, Freddy Rodriguez, Jimmy Bennett, Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson, and Andre Braugher. Critics liked the special effects, but didn't think much of the movie, and it ended up the first big flop of the summer of 2006. The Effects would be Oscar nominated. This is the last English-language film Wolfgang Petersen has made to date.
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Just My Luck--4/$5.7 million/$17.3 million/126/14%/29--Lindsay Lohan's previous golden streak began to falter with this underperforming romcom, in which she played a PR flack with fantastic luck, until she kisses a dancer (Chris Pine, in one of his first lead roles) who has terrible luck at a masquerade ball, causing them to switch their usual fortunes. Hijinks ensure. Faizon Love, Missi Pyle, and Tovah Feldshuh co-starred. Critics weren't amused.
Director: Donald Petrie
Goal! The Dream Begins--13/$1.9 million/$4.3 million/186/42%/53--This soccer melodrama starred Kuno Becker as an undocumented Mexican immigrant living in Los Angeles who, somewhat improbably, gets the chance to try out for an English Premiere League team. Given that this was made with the corporation of FIFA and got sponsorship from Adidas, you can guess how the story turns out. Alessandro Nivola and Anna Friel co-star. While clearly made for an overseas audience, this got a wide release in the U.S., and did about as well as a starless movie about soccer that got negative reviews can expect.
Director: Danny Cannon
Twenty Years Ago--May 11, 2001:
#1 Movie:
The Mummy Returns--$33.7 million
New Wide Releases:
A Knight's Tale--2/$16.5 million/$56.6 million/45/59%/56--One of three movies to open in two week period that had characters singing modern day pop and rock in a past setting, this action comedy starred Heath Ledger as a lowly squire who, after his knight (Nick Brimble) dies, secretly takes his place and starts to win tournaments, and perhaps the love of a noblewoman (Shannyn Sossamon). Rufus Sewell, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk, Bérénice Bejo, James Purefoy, and Paul Bettany co-star. This earned mixed reviews and only did OK at the box office, as it opened only a week before the somewhat similar Shrek.
Director: Brian Helgeland
Expanding:
Memento--9/$1.2 million
The Tailor of Panama--10/$0.8 million
Twenty-Five Years Ago--May 10, 1996:
New Wide Releases:
Twister--1/$41.1 million/$241.7 million/2/61%/68--A pair of bickering, divorcing storm chasers (Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt) traverse all over rural Oklahoma, chasing tornados with the rest of their team in order to put a scientific MacGuffin in front of a storm. Co-starring Jami Gertz, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Lois Smith, Alan Ruck, Todd Field, Jeremy Davies, Anthony Rapp, Jake Busey, and Cary Elwes as the rival storm chaser whose in it for the money, not the science, this got worse reviews than director Jan de Bont's previous film, Speed (though even critics who howled over the dialog admired the tornado effects), but made considerably more money. The third successful collaboration between Steven Spielberg (who executive produced) and Michael Crichton (who produced and co-wrote the screenplay) after Jurassic Park and ER. The film would be Oscar nominated for Sound and Visual Effects.
Director: Jan de Bont
Original Gangstas--9/$1.2 million/$3.7 million/163/53%/NA--This 1970s throwback featured Blaxploitation stars Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, Ron O'Neal, and Richard Roundtree as former gang members, now grown up, who are forced to confront the current members of the gang after they shoot Williamson's father (Oscar Brown, Jr.) and Brown and Grier's son (Timothy Lewis). Paul Winfield, Isabel Sanford, Wings Hauser, Charles Napier, and Robert Forster co-star. Reviews were mixed, and hopes that it might work as counterprogramming against Twister didn't work out, though one wonders if this influenced Blaxploitation superfan Quentin Tarantino to cast Grier and Forester in Jackie Brown, which opened a year and a half later. This would be the final film directed by longtime genre master Larry Cohen.
Director: Larry Cohen
New Limited Releases:
Dead Man--$1 million/199/71%/62--Jim Jarmusch's surreal, black and white western stars Johnny Depp as a hapless accountant who is forced to go on the run after accidently killing the son (Gabriel Byrne) of a powerful businessman (Robert Mitchem, in his final theatrical film). Dying of a bullet lodged near his heart, he is cared for by a Native American (Gary Farmer) who prepares him for death. Crispin Glover, Lance Henriksen, Michael Wincott, John Hurt, Iggy Pop, Jared Harris, Billy Bob Thornton, and Alfred Molina co-star. The film did well with critics, but only did OK on the art house circuit.
Director: Jim Jarmusch
Thirty Years Ago--May 10, 1991:
New Wide Releases:
F/X 2--1/$5.5 million/$21.1 million/63/41%/48--This sequel to the moderate 1986 hit had special effects expert Bryan Brown getting once again recruited to work with the police, and once again being drawn into an elaborate conspiracy, this time over ancient gold medallions stolen from the Vatican. Brian Dennehy also returned as the seemingly one honest cop in the NYPD, as did Jossie DeGuzman as another cop. Rachel Ticotin, Joanna Gleason, Philip Bosco, and Kevin J. O'Connor joined the cast. Reviews were mixed-to-negative, but this ended up making almost exactly as much as the original did.
Director: Richard Franklin
Switch--2/$3.8 million/$15.6 million/74/35%/48--In this loose remake of the old Tony Curtis/Debbie Reynolds vehicle Goodbye, Charlie, Perry King played a chauvinistic womanizer who gets murdered by a vengeful ex-girlfriend (JoBeth Williams). Given a second chance, he returns to earth as a woman (Ellen Barkin). Hijinks ensue. Jimmy Smits, Lorraine Bracco, Tony Roberts, Bruce Payne, and Lysette Anthony co-star, along with an early small part for Catherine Keener, and the film debut (in another bit part) of Téa Leoni. While Barkin got good reviews, the film itself did not, and it underperformed at the box office as well. This would be the next-to-last film directed by Blake Edwards.
Director: Blake Edwards
New Limited Releases:
Madonna: Truth or Dare--$15 million/78/87%/NA--This documentary chronicled Madonna's blockbuster Blonde Ambition tour of 1990, blending both on-stage performances (in color) and behind-the-scenes footage (in black and white) of Madonna interacting with her dancers, meeting with celebrities (including Kevin Costner, Antonio Banderas, and her then-boyfriend Warren Beatty), and dealing with issues, both personal and professional. Critics were generally impressed with the film, and Madonna's fans packed theaters. It would become the highest-grossing documentary of all time, a position it would hold for 11 years until Bowling for Columbine.
Director: Alek Keshishian
Thirty-Five Years Ago--May 9, 1986:
New Wide Releases:
Short Circuit--1/$5.4 million/$40.7 million/21/59%/50--After being struck by lightning, a robot designed for military use gains sentience, escapes, and takes refuge with Ally Sheedy (also in Blue City from the week before), who quickly becomes convinced he is alive. However, they also have to convince Steve Guttenberg, the robot's designer, and the company Guttenberg works for, not to mention the U.S. military, will be harder to convince. Fisher Stevens (in brownface), Austin Pendleton, and G.W. Bailey co-star. This family-friendly comedy got mixed reviews, but became a surprise hit. A sequel (with Stevens, but not Sheedy or Guttenberg) would come out in 1988.
Director: John Badham
Fire With Fire--3/$1.8 million/$4.6 million/116/NA/NA--Bad boy Craig Sheffer and good girl Virginia Madsen meet in the woods and immediately fall for each other, but as he's an inmate at a juvenile delinquent facility and she's a student at an all-girls Catholic school, their love is forbidden. Jon Polito, Jean Smart, and D.B. Sweeney co-star. This overheated melodrama didn't attract much attention.
Director: Duncan Gibbons
Dangerously Close--6/$1.2 million/$2.4 million/140/10%/NA--A group of elite students are causing terror in the halls of an upscale high school, and only the school newspaper's editor (J. Eddie Peck) is willing to stand up to them. Carey Lowell and future director John Stockwell co-star. This received even less attention than Fire With Fire.
Director: Albert Pyun
Forty Years Ago--May 8, 1981:
No movies opened in either wide or limited release, and there were no expansions.
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