TOP 12 FILMS AT THE BOX OFFICE
The boys from Compton smashed opening-weekend expectations, while the stylish “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” struggled to find its footing.
Universal’s N.W.A biopic earned an astonishing $60.2 million in its debut, according to studio estimates.
Director F. Gary Gray’s well-received film charts the formation and rise of the influential rap group. It cost $29 million to produce.
The PG-13-rated adaptation of the 1960s television series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” debuted in third place, behind “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation,” with a sluggish $13.4 million.
The goal had been a modest $15 million. The period spy thriller will have an uphill battle to make up its $80 million production budget.
1. STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON,
The timing is right for this biopic of N.W.A, and director F. Gary Gray provides an entertaining, reflective exploration of the groundbreaking rap group’s 1980s and early-1990s run. The drama has more in common with “The Social Network” than “Menace II Society,” although it earns its R rating for scenes of violence and sex. O’Shea Jackson Jr. is a standout, playing his reallife father, Ice Cube. (R) 147 minutes — Peter Hartlaub
$60.2 million, 1 week 2. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — ROGUE NATION,
Tom Cruise, who hasn’t aged in 20 years, delivers again in this entertaining, relentless action movie, in which agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) finds himself fighting a terrorist group committed only to spreading mayhem throughout the world. (PG-13) 110 minutes. — Mick LaSalle
$17.2.5 million; $138.3 million, 3 weeks 3. THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.,
Kind of a mess, by the standards of most action movies, this is “Citizen Kane” by Guy Ritchie standards, a mediocre film of the 1960s TV series that loses momentum throughout but has a few amusing moments. (PG-13) 116 minutes — M.L.
$13.4 million, 1 week
4. FANTASTIC FOUR,
Fans will be disappointed by the missed opportunity to establish continuity with Fox’s other Marvel properties (X-Men, Deadpool) — and no post-credits scene? But they’ll be happy to see the realistic, more grown-up tone of this reboot of a tele-portation project that goes horribly wrong. (PG-13) 100 minutes — Michael Ordoña
$$8.1 million; $42.1 million; 2 weeks
5. THE GIFT,
Jason Bateman
and Rebecca Hall are an upscale couple who are menaced by a friend from the husband’s past, played by Joel Edgerton, who also wrote and directed. It’s a nice variation on the psycho-terrorizes-a-family genre, with some interesting turns. (R) 108 minutes — M.L.
$6.5 million; $23.6 million; 2 weeks
6. ANT-MAN, xxx1/2 This is smaller scale and more human than most of the Marvel Comics superhero movies and therefore better, with Paul Rudd as a newly released prisoner who takes on the burden of saving humanity. Michael Douglas co-stars. (PG-13) 117 minutes. — M.L. $5.5 million; $157.5 million; 5 weeks
7. VACATION,
This semi-reboot of the “Vacation” series brings a welcome touch of vulgarity and outrageousness to the proceedings, with Ed Helms as a borderline imbecile who takes his wife (Christina Applegate) and kids on a vacation from hell. The movie is a succession of funny, outlandish gags, including one in which the family bathes in sewage. (R) 99 minutes. — M.L.
$5.2 million; $46.7 million; 3 weeks
8. MINIONS, This spin-off from the “Despicable Me” films is a tired yet frenetic and pointless exercise about little yellow guys who arrive in England in 1968, intent on stealing the queen’s crown. Just dreadful from beginning to end. (PG) 91 minutes — M.L.
$5.1 million; $313 million; 6 weeks 9. RICKI AND THE FLASH,
This is a decent family drama larded with mediocre musical sequences, with Meryl Streep, who can do everything but sometimes shouldn’t, fronting a bar band. The supporting cast is strong, with Streep’s real-life daughter, Mamie Gummer, playing her screen daughter, and Rick Springfield is terrific as Ricki’s boyfriend and lead guitarist. (PG-13) 100 minutes — M.L.
$4.5 million; $14.6 million; 2 weeks
10. TRAINWRECK,
Amy Schumer, in her starring
debut, is too little of a train wreck (not outrageous or shocking) and not enough of one (just obnoxious) in this comedy, written by Schumer and directed by Judd Apatow. She needed a director who didn’t endorse her completely, who could guide her — or he needed another lead actress. It’s funny, but not funny enough. (R) 122 minutes — M.L.
$3.8 million; $97.9 million; 5 weeks
11. PIXELS,
This sci-fi action comedy has a fun first half and a weak second half, but the film, directed by Chris Columbus — and starring Adam Sandler as a former ’80s video-game champ whose Pac-Man skills must fend off an alien invasion — is hard to dislike. (PG-13) 106 minutes — M.L. $3.4 million; $64.4 million; 4 weeks
12. SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE, Aardman Animations’ beloved sheep and his barnyard pals take a wild trip to the big city in this entertaining feature. The film is a nearly wordless avalanche of slapstick and sight gags. It’s the usual Aardman style of stop-motion animation, and nicely done. (PG) 85 minutes — Walter Addiego
$2.9 million; $11.1 million; 2 weeks