1. High School Musical 3: Senior Year (3,623 Theaters, 112 Minutes, Rated G): You know, I almost feel sorry for the Saw franchise. They used to own the weeks around Halloween. They’d put out a film the same time each year, have little or no competition, and have the number one film for a couple weeks.
Not this year, however. This film will crush Saw V. If it doesn’t earn twice as much, I will be greatly surprised.
Do not think that it can’t happen. The High School Musical franchise is unbelievably popular. Ask any video store employee. The first two DVD’s go out as soon as they come in, and the sales copies barely get settled on store shelves before they are sold.
It’s so popular that the third film has made the unusual jump from being a made-for-TV film to the big screen.
Seriously, weep for Saw V.
2. Saw V (3,060 Theaters, 88 Minutes, Rated R): Could this be the beginning of the end of the Saw franchise?
No, not because HSM 3 will steal its audience. I doubt anyone would admit being a fan of both franchises. But rather, have these films run their course?
The torture porn trend has lost a lot of its favor with audiences and this series was the granddaddy of it. With each film the franchise moves further away from the original, both in the creative talent involved and in plotline.
I mean, we know there will be a Saw 6. Vh1 is running a reality program to win a role in it. But will there still be an audience there when it hits theaters?
3. Pride and Glory (2,585 Theaters, 125 Minutes, Rated R): If you’re like me, you might have remembered seeing the trailer for this months and months ago. The reason for that is that the film was originally supposed to come out in March and was pushed back.
That is never a good sign. And the fact that it’s opening on a weekend with two other big movies just makes it worse. It seems the studio is just releasing it to get rid of it.
But, really, how bad can any movie starring Edward Norton and Colin Farrell be? Sure the plot, involving a family of cops embroiled in a corruption scandal, is fairly common. But these are two actors that could make any movie worth watching.
