Weekend Preview: The Return to Oz

L. Frank Baum's magical Land of Oz returns to the big screen this weekend in Disney's Oz: The Great and Powerful. Also causing a bang this weekend is Dead Man Down, the reunion of Noomi Rapace and Niels Arden Oplev, who directed her stunning performance as Lisbeth in Män som hatar kvinnor (aka the Swedish The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.)

There should be no contest this weekend with Oz easily taking first place, considering Disney's impressive marketing campaign, very good brand recognition, and the relative lack of other new releases. Oz should also easily beat Identity Thief's $34 million opening weekend, giving it the highest opening weekend of the year so far.

In contrast, Dead Man Down has neither the marketing strength of a large studio like Disney behind it, nor Oz's brand recognition. Even with stars Rapace and Colin Farrell, Oplev's action thriller will be lucky to open above $10 million.

Are you ready to journey back to Oz, or does the yellow brick road lead somewhere else for you? Share your weekend movie plans below!

Tune in next time to see Halle Berry's The Call or Steve Carell's The Incredible Burt Wonderstone can steal the box office crown from Oz.

March 2013 Preview!

Here is a quick look at the films I plan to see in March:

Jack the Giant Slayer (3/1/13)
Nicholas Hoult stars in this retelling of the classic fairytales about Jack, his magic beans, and the realm of the giants that he discovers. Hoult was dead impressive in his first big film of the year, so I wouldn't be surprised if we continue to see a lot of him.

Stoker (3/1/13)
Creepy family thriller/drama starring Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, and Nicole Kidman, possibly involving vampires? The trailer is definitely creepily interesting, so keep an eye on this one in case it reaches a theater near you.

Oz: The Great and Powerful (3/8/13)
I'm not much of a James Franco fan, but I am interested to see how director Sam Raimi and producer Joe Roth (who also produced 2010's Alice in Wonderland) portray L. Frank Baum's fantastical Land of Oz. Right now I would still give it a strong maybe, mostly because there's not much else to see this month.

Ginger & Rosa (3/8/13)
If you find yourself looking for a way to escape the beginning of the summer blockbuster season, this import from across the pond may be your ticket to freedom. Writer-Director Sally Potter tells the story of two inseparable friends (the titular Ginger and Rosa) and the experience of growing up in London during the 1960's. Starring Elle Fanning, Alice Englert (of Beautiful Creatures fame), Timothy Spall, and Annette Bening.

What film tops your to-see list for March?