Black Widow (2021, well really 2020, but you know.... pandemic and all)

[Mike Blakesley]

As one of Disney's highest-profile pandemic-affected movies, I was not sure if we'd play this on opening or not because they wanted three weeks at first. Then then changed their tune and said they'd take two weeks, with a "hard look" at the week 2 gross. But then I realized that our county fair was going to be happening over the third weekend, so it made sense to keep BW for that week.

I'm not going to review the movie here -- I'll leave that to any responders that care to chime in -- because I gave up on Marvel movies because I don't have enough spare minutes in life to devote to absorbing all the knowledge that it takes to enjoy them. I can't keep track, there's just too much static in this universe. But people who love this stuff are REALLY liking this movie. It's our #1 grosser so far since we re-opened (dethroning "F9" for the top spot) even though it's on Disney Plus, although it costs $30 extra to watch it there.

I'm kind of amazed how it's hung on. We had a huge drop in the second weekend, like everyone did; but it's been steady since then. Things were dead over the weekend due to the fair, as expected; but we have a nice crowd tonight, especially considering it's the third Monday of the run.

[Marcel Birgelen]

I guess over the years, all those Marvel movies have become like a blur to me. Every one of them seems like a copy of the last one, like McDonald's special of the week: The same burger, only with some slightly changed toppings. My wife used to be really into it and that's why I've seen most of them, up until the last Avengers movie. For me, and her, that was literally the End Game. Even though she is a big Scarlett Johansson fan, she didn't want to watch this movie.

It's no denying that the Marvel universe lost some appeal for quite a few people over the years, but Disney is putting millions if not billions into the franchise, with a sort-of reboot of the franchise and a huge investment into Marvel themed areas in several of their parks, so it looks like Marvel will be here to stay for a while and apparently, people are still buying it.

[Carsten Kurz]

The same burger, only with some slightly changed toppings.

They change toppings?

[Jon Dent]

They change toppings?

Yep, Black Widow has lettuce from Sheuman Farms, which is right next door to Neuman Farms, which has provided lettuce for all the previous Marvel films.

That's a great analogy though. These movies are the very definition of fast food cinema: predictably entertaining and comforting but rarely, if ever, challenging and probably not good for you in mass quantities.

I was really underwhelmed with the sound mix on this one. It's quiet and the subwoofers aren't used anywhere near what the visuals are calling for.

[Jim Cassedy]

This was a 'one weekend wonder' for the several theaters in my neighborhood. It did well the 1st weekend, when the films' fans came to see it, then attendance dropped dramatically. Unfortunately I think they were locked into playing it for two or three weeks.