May: Your Movie Month In Review

We know that looking at the most popular films of a particular month the day after the month ends is far from an exact science; it's not even close. But we still find it instructive. May was even more top-heavy than most summer months: That a Woody Allen film that hasn't even received wide release yet could finish in the top 10 of a month shows how concentrated these releases are. And even though "The Hangover: Part II" came out late in the month and will surely pass "Thor," we don't think it's going to pass "Pirates." and check out the legs on "Bridesmaids." Quality-wise, the month was top heavy too: This was the first month in which you'll likely to see multiple releases on year-end top 10 lists. (You might see as many as four one some of ours.) Anyway, it's time to do
our monthly look back -- check the bottom of this post for the archive
-- at the films of the past month, the ones we saw, the ones we loved,
the ones we missed. Welcome to the wonkishness.

Top Ten Highest Grossing Movies Released This May, As Of May 31

1. "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," $163.7 million
2. "Thor," $162.4 million
3. "The Hangover: Part Two," $135.0 million
4. "Bridesmaids," $89.3 million
5. "Kung Fu Panda 2," $66.7 million
6. "Something Borrowed," $35.2 million
7. "Jumping the Broom," $34.7 million
8. "Priest," $27.7 million
9. "Midnight In Paris," $3.5 million
10. "Everything Must Go," $2.2 million

May 2011 Movies We Saw

Leitch
"The Beaver"
"Bridesmaids"
"City of Life and Death"
"Everything Must Go"
"The Hangover Part II"
"Hobo With A Shotgun"
"Jumping the Broom"
"Last Night"
"Midnight in Paris"
"Passion Play"
"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"
"Priest"
"Something Borrowed"
"There Be Dragons"
"Thor"
"The Tree of Life"
"Tuesday, After Christmas"

Grierson
"The Beaver"
"Bridesmaids"
"City of Life and Death"
"The First Grader"
"The Hangover Part II"
"Hesher"
"Jumping the Broom"
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
"Midnight in Paris"
"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"
"Something Borrowed"
"Thor"
"The Tree of Life"
"Tuesday, After Christmas"
"United Red Army"

Best May 2011 Movie We Saw

Leitch: "Midnight In Paris"
Grierson: "City of Life and Death"

Worst May 2011 Movie We Saw

Leitch: "Passion Play"
Grierson: "Jumping the Broom"

Movie We Missed But Plan On Getting To

Leitch: "Hesher"
Grierson: "Everything Must Go"

What We Learned This Month

Leitch: The first three months of the year, I'd only given one film an A- or better ("I Saw The Devil"). This month brought five: "Bridesmaids," "City of Life and Death," "Midnight In Paris," "The Tree of Life" and "Tuesday, After Christmas." We were due for a good month.
Grierson: Two of my favorite filmmakers -- Woody Allen and Terrence Malick --
released new movies this month that most people love more than I do.
That's a strange, lonely feeling.

We have such hope for June! See you then.

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January 2011
February 2011
March 2011
April 2011