While most will be celebrating the long Independence Day weekend with BBQ’s and copious amounts of beer while ringing in the fireworks, there are options out there to watch should you need a little break from the festivities. Children and families get another round with the Minions while those looking for something to watch at home can become obsessed with one of the biggest box office stories of the year or get reunited with Meryl Streep and company in the world of high fashion.
What’s Opening In Theaters?
The only major theatrical release is Minions & Monsters, the seventh film to feature these weird yet hilarious little creatures, first introduced in 2010’s Despicable Me. Directed by Pierre Coffin and based on a screenplay he co-wrote with Brian Lynch, Minions & Monsters is the third installment of the Minions prequel series. Set in 1927, 41 years before the events of their film, it follows the titular characters as they try to make a monster movie in Old Hollywood. The film features the vocal talent of Coffin as the Minions, alongside Allison Janney, Trey Parker, Christoph Waltz, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, Zoey Deutch, Bobby Moynihan, and Phil LaMarr.
There is no denying the appeal of the Minions brand. Across the seven films, which include the Despicable Me installments, the franchise has grossed over $5.6 billion globally. It holds the distinction of being the first animated franchise to hit this benchmark and did so while keeping the budgets relatively low, keeping the production costs between $75 million and $100 million per movie. Minions & Monsters will prove to be another hit, even with family competition coming from Toy Story 5. That film is entering its third weekend, and kids will want something shiny and new to enjoy. As for the film itself, it’s 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the best-reviewed film of the franchise to date. It’s said kids will love the typical antics of the titular characters while adults will get a kick out of its Old Hollywood jokes thanks to its throwback premise to the movies. Minions & Monsters is bound to delight families this weekend, and it has already proven to do so since opening Wednesday with an impressive “A-” CinemaScore.
For those seeking something a bit more celebratory of the Red, White, and Blue, the historical war drama Young Washington also hits screens. Directed by Jon Erwin and from a screenplay he co-wrote with Tom Provost and Diederik Hoogstraten, Young Washington follows the early life of the first president of the United States, George Washington (William Franklyn-Miller), and puts an emphasis on his experiences during the French and Indian War. The film also stars Mary-Louise Parker, Kelsey Grammer, and Andy Serkis.
Young Washington premiered at the Tribeca Festival in early June and emerged with so-so reviews at 60 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. This is a film that has a very targeted audience and should play well in middle America, especially as our nation celebrates its 250th birthday. Some projections say it could open to $15 million, and that is without huge promotion from Angel Studios. They’re relying on the holiday driving business, and there is no doubt this film about our Founding Father is going to be a top choice for the older demographic this Fourth of July weekend.
Also, for those who can’t get enough of Backrooms, A24 is giving fans a treat with Backrooms: Everything Must Go, which includes 16 minutes of brand-new footage. Directed by Kane Parsons in his feature-length directorial debut and from a screenplay by Will Soodik, Backrooms is based on Parsons’ web series and was inspired by the “Backrooms” creepypasta. The film follows Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a furniture store owner, and his therapist, Mary (Renate Reinsve), who get lost in a labyrinth of seemingly endless liminal spaces that are accessed in Clark’s furniture shop. The film also stars Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell.
Backrooms quickly became A24’s biggest film and broke a few records for the indie studio. The film opened to $81.5 million, easily A24’s biggest opening weekend, and it has grossed $184 million domestically and $331 million worldwide on a $10 million budget, making it A24’s highest-grossing film. The question now is: will this extended cut give Backrooms an extra boost over the holiday weekend? 16 minutes is a substantial amount of footage, and it could stir up interest within the fanbase. One has to wonder if A24 thinks this will get Backrooms to a cool $200 million at the domestic box office. It might be determined by what kind of footage is added. If it’s more character-driven scenes, maybe not. But if it’s more scenes through the dimensions of the Backrooms? That just might do it.
What To Watch At Home
Home viewing brings two very popular summer movies. One that continues to defy expectations and remain an unprecedented box office success, while the other displayed once again how women can drive films to great financial gains. There is no doubt that their popularity will continue from the comfort of your living rooms.
Obsession arrives on digital as it’s still within the top five at the box office. The $750,000 sensation has cleared $238.4 million domestic and $375.7 million worldwide with no signs of slowing down. Written and directed by Curry Barker, Obsession follows a music store employee named Bear (Michael Johnston) who buys a supernatural toy called a “One Wish Willow” and wishes that his friend and object of his desire, Nikki (Inde Navarrette), will fall in love with him, with truly horrific results. The film also stars Cooper Tomlinson and Megan Lawless.
Obsession is a rare movie where critics and audiences are in lockstep with each other. The critics and audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is 94%, and it continues to be a watercooler film that has sparked debate and theories while also defying its genre. Obsession is a horror film, but its appeal has reached those who typically don’t like genre fare. It’s great that it’s able to be watched at home now, BUT if you can, see it in theaters. It’s still going strong, and it truly benefits from a crowd. You won’t be disappointed.
Also out on digital is The Devil Wears Prada 2, another huge box office hit that cleared $220 million domestically and $678.1 million worldwide. That’s more than Star Wars’ The Mandalorian and Grogu grossed on the domestic and global fronts. Let that sink in. Directed by David Frankel and from a screenplay by Aline Brosh McKenna, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is set two decades after the first film and follows Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) as she is tasked with helping her former boss, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), navigate a new media landscape that could threaten the survival of Runway magazine. The film also stars Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci, both reprising their roles from the first film.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a good example of a sequel that revels in the fun of reuniting with old friends and giving the fans exactly what they want. Critical reviews were pretty much in line with the first movie at 77 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and given the box office results, the fanbase enjoyed what they saw. The female demographic turned seeing this sequel into an event, and now they can do that at home with bottles of wine and charcuterie boards for good measure.
Check back next week when we keep you in the know about What To Watch!
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