Bob Richards' movie reviews for October 29

By Spencer Blake

CREATED Oct. 29, 2012

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  • It was an especially bad weekend at the box office as none of the new releases even made 10 million dollars. Video by IdahoOnYourSide.com

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 The top film has been out a couple of weeks, and hasn’t been number one until now. Argo took in 12.4 million, but that was good enough for the top spot. Hotel Transylvania was second with 9.5 million, and the 100 million dollar Cloud Atlas could only pull in 9.4 million it’s opening weekend. Paranormal Activity 4 dropped a huge 70 percent in its second weekend with 8.7 million, Silent Hill Revelation tied for fifth place with 8 million, Fun Size flopped with 4.1 million and Chasing Mavericks didn’t make the top 10.

1. "Argo," $12.4 million
2. "Hotel Transylvania," $9.5 million
3. "Cloud Atlas," $9.4 million
4. "Paranormal Activity 4," $8.7 million
5. (tie) "Silent Hill: Revelation 3-D," $8 million
6. "Taken 2," $8 million
7. "Here Comes the Boom," $5.5 million
8. "Sinister," $5.07 million
9. Alex Cross," $5.05 million
10. "Fun Size," $4.1 million

(Silent Hill Revelation 3-D – Open Road Films – Rated R)
Silent Hill Revelation 3-D has some cool 3-D. It also has a spooky, nightmarish atmosphere that is a lot like the video games. It actually feels like you are in the video game…not that that’s a good thing, there’s not much of a story. A few gotcha jumps are all the fright this one can muster, but it does look good. No revelations here…3 Stars Out of 5

(Chasing Mavericks – 20th Century Fox – Rated PG-13)
In Chasing Mavericks, Gerard Butler’s accent peaks through every now and then, but that’s not the worst thing about this true surfing tale. What drove me crazy was the concocted drama where things are dragged out too long – like on a reality show where they extend and extend it…it’s uncomfortable and corny…and trying to make something out of nothing. This isn’t especially inspirational. I’ll call Chasing a Pulse. 3 Stars Out of 5

(Fun Size – Paramount – Rated PG-13)
Fun Size is a teen comedy that’s not very funny. You’ve seen it all before in the trailer and about 50 other movies just like it. But this is just bland. Fun size candy is a little version of a big candy bar. It isn’t really fun…it’s just small. They call it fun to try to fool you. Two bites and it’s gone. And it isn’t satisfying. This is a fun size version of a comedy. Not funny, and not so fun. 2 Stars Out of 5

(Cloud Atlas – Warner Brothers – Rated R)
While watching Cloud Atlas, an hour into it I didn’t know what it was about…two and a half hours in I still didn’t know, but I was checking my watch and wishing I hadn’t had that last cup of tea. It opens with a mind numbing hodgepodge of time jumping and barely discernable pigeon English. It went downhill from there. It’s a chaotic mishmash of hack editing, latex and reincarnation…mostly latex. Six stories slapped and muddled together where everyone has a blob of latex somewhere on their face at one point or another. I’m sure the makeup man got paid by how many pounds of latex he used. Some of the makeup is convincing, most is hideous. There are points where I thought the fake teeth Tom Hanks was wearing were actually going to eat him. It is kind of fun trying to guess who is under all that rubber, though. The film is over ambitious, self indulgent nonsense. Lots of people left during the showing I attended. I didn’t but I wanted to. This might be better titled Clod Atlas. 2 Stars Out of 5

For Bob's past reviews and more, check out bobrichardsmoviereviews.com.