1. Clash Of The Titans (Warner Brothers, 3,777 Theaters, 118 Minutes, rated PG-13): The original Clash of the Titans, released in 1981, is regarded as a camp classic. This is mostly due to a cast that ran the gamut from Sir Laurence Olivier to Harry Hamlin, from Maggie Smith to Burgess Meredith and also for being the last film to feature Ray Harryhausen’s classic stop motion animation.
But was it ever considered a great movie? Or even one that cried out for a remake? Or even financial seemed like a good idea to remake?
This version does have some things going for it. It has a fresh from Avatar Sam Worthington in it, and Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes as well. But the tone seems to be less deliberately campy than the original and Harryhausen, who retired after the original, has been replaced by a computer. Those facts might outweigh the good in this case.
2. Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too (Lionsgate, 2,155 Theaters, 121 Minutes, Rated PG-13): I had one bright hope when it came to Tyler Perry. It was that eventually, he would run out of stage plays of his to adapt into film and then we’d never see or hear from him again.
But then he decided to make sequels to the films he already adapted from his plays! This could go on forever! We may never be rid of him.
Now, I am nowhere near Perry’s target audience, but from what I’ve seen, his rampant popularity astounds me. To be honest, he’s running from behind with me by just his name being on everything and him taking the showiest part for himself–in drag no less. But I just don’t get the success.
But he does have success and all his films do well at the box office. How well will he do against the Kraken and the Miley/Nicholas Sparks combo is another question entirely. He’s got his box office work cut out for him.
