Looking at the Weekend: September 30-October 2, 2011

It’s going to be tough competition this weekend as any film could top the box office and the new ones might not even make it that high. 50/50 seems like the better bet for taking the top new release crown. Courageous only appeals to a niche audience and Dream House, despite sporting a strong cast, is horror and horror has been taking a bit of a beating lately. Even comedy What’s Your Number? has weaker prospects.

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.

50/50: A mixed bag for everyone. Some will appreciate its humor, others will criticize its callous handling of a serious subject.
Courageous: Sermonizing, no matter how exciting it looks, is seldom entertaining.
Dream House: It looks like a fairly standard horror film.
What’s Your Number?: It could be quite amusing, but it depends on who you talk to.
American Teacher: Another divisive film that will either successfully champion its cause or be so burdened by sweetness that it collapses.
Take Shelter: An indie film that may not be on anyone’s radar and might not even be on your to-see list if it is.

WIDE RELEASES

50/50
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will I See?	Will I See?	Will I See?
Recommendation?	Recommendation?	Recommendation?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a terrific actor and I wouldn’t mind catching this one. It looks like it could be fun.	Thoughts At long last, a comedy that sounds like it might actually be fun even if it is about a possibly fatal disease.	Thoughts Looks like a hit-or-miss comedy that misses a little too much.

50/50

See the original
CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster
Preview

Will I See?

Recommendation?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a terrific actor and I wouldn’t mind catching this one. It looks like it could be fun.

Thoughts

At long last, a comedy that sounds like it might actually be fun even if it is about a possibly fatal disease.

Thoughts

Looks like a hit-or-miss comedy that misses a little too much.

Courageous
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will I See?	Will I See?	Will I See?
Recommendation?	Recommendation?	Recommendation?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts It’s most definitely not my kind of film and I would say Avoid It, but I know there are plenty of fans of Christian films out there who would enjoy it.	Thoughts Looks like one long sermon to me.	Thoughts The kind of release that will be forgotten by next week, to say nothing of December.

Courageous

See the original
CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster
Preview

Will I See?

Recommendation?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

It’s most definitely not my kind of film and I would say Avoid It, but I know there are plenty of fans of Christian films out there who would enjoy it.

Thoughts

Looks like one long sermon to me.

Thoughts

The kind of release that will be forgotten by next week, to say nothing of December.

Dream House
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will I See?	Will I See?	Will I See?
Recommendation?	Recommendation?	Recommendation?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts This is the kind of horror film I don’t mind waiting to see until it hits DVD.	Thoughts Looks like another by-the-numbers horror flick.	Thoughts October is the season of horror films, and they never hit Oscar’s radar.

Dream House

See the original
CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster
Preview

Will I See?

Recommendation?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

This is the kind of horror film I don’t mind waiting to see until it hits DVD.

Thoughts

Looks like another by-the-numbers horror flick.

Thoughts

October is the season of horror films, and they never hit Oscar’s radar.

What’s Your Number?
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will I See?	Will I See?	Will I See?
Recommendation?	Recommendation?	Recommendation?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts A fun comedy that may be more fun on the small screen than on the big.	Thoughts Looks like another witless rom-com.	Thoughts October is the season for broad comedy films, and they never hit Oscar’s radar.

What’s Your Number?

See the original
CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster
Preview

Will I See?

Recommendation?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

A fun comedy that may be more fun on the small screen than on the big.

Thoughts

Looks like another witless rom-com.

Thoughts

October is the season for broad comedy films, and they never hit Oscar’s radar.

LIMITED RELEASES

American Teacher
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will I See?	Will I See?	Will I See?
Recommendation?	Recommendation?	Recommendation?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts It’s a subject matter important enough to see, so I recommend you do.	Thoughts Another documentary that looks like a TV special masquerading as a movie.	Thoughts I’m a teacher, and this looks too saccharine even for me, let alone the Academy.

American Teacher

See the original
CinemaSight
Trailer & Poster
Preview

Will I See?

Recommendation?

Oscar Chances

Thoughts

It’s a subject matter important enough to see, so I recommend you do.

Thoughts

Another documentary that looks like a TV special masquerading as a movie.

Thoughts

I’m a teacher, and this looks too saccharine even for me, let alone the Academy.

Take Shelter
See the original CinemaSight Trailer & Poster Preview
Will I See?	Will I See?	Will I See?
Recommendation?	Recommendation?	Recommendation?
Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances	Oscar Chances
Thoughts If you’re a fan of indie dramas starring Michael Shannon, check this one out.	Thoughts Jessica Chastain is having quite a year. Might be worth seeing for her, but otherwise looks like a minor psychological horror film.	Thoughts Too small for Oscar, but not for me.

Take Shelter