Comic heroes and A-list romcoms aside, you might call this weekend a lull between the sheer Pottermania of last weekend and the sheer multitude of new titles facing moviegoers next weekend. One left you no choice, the other leaves with almost too much. And in between, there are these:
[Click the linked titles for Movieline's reviews.]
NATIONAL OUTLOOK
· Captain America: The First Avenger: The summer's latest comic-book adaptation is the third Marvel property alone to go in front of the cameras this summer (joining Thor and X-Men: First Class), to say nothing of the underachieving superhero effort Green Lantern wedged between them. The marketplace isn't exactly what you'd call clamoring for yet other dude in tights -- particularly in terrible 3-D, which may prove a far crueler adversary for the Captain than Red Skull and the rest. And even more formidable: A certain boy wizard looking to follow up his record opening weekend with another first-place finish. Harry Potter indeed remains the film to beat this week at around $60 million, but here's hoping, at least for Marvel's sake, that Captain America has enough fight in him to get a few good swings in. FORECAST: $53.8 million.
· Friends With Benefits: The lazy bastard in me wants to just rerun my forecast for last January's No Strings Attached, plugging in Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis where Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman went. I figure if the screenwriters and studio can recycle content -- about friends whose relationship becomes increasingly complicated as sex enters the picture -- I should be able to as well? Anyway, none of this will impact FWB at the box office; in fact, as counterprogramming goes, it's about as sure a thing as we've seen all summer. I like this to help keep the summer's R-rated comedy flame burning bright into August. FORECAST: $23.2 million
REGIONAL OUTLOOK
In limited release this weekend, look for the vexing sci-fi/philosophical romance disaster Another Earth, the disappointing (but Kristin Scott thomas-starring!) drama Sarah's Key, the enthralling coming-of-age portrait The Myth of the American Sleepover, and Jenna Fischer appears in the indie dramedy A Little Help.
Kinda slow, you know? Next week's grand July finale may be where it's at, but weigh in below if you've got your eye on something here...