The Vow

CHICAGO – I feel like a bit of a confession is necessary to frame my opinion of the truly awful “The Vow.” Lest you think this is just some cynical male critic, I like “The Notebook” and “The Lake House.” I even kind of like “Dear John” and didn’t hate “The Time Traveler’s Wife.” Yes, I’m a cheeseball when the cheese is well-done. I wanted to like “The Vow.” There’s nothing to like here unless you find taking talented, charming actors and making them deadly dull likeable.

CHICAGO – While the winner of last weekend’s box office, “The Vow,” was not able to win back-back weekends, it was not beaten out by a new release either. “Safe House,” which finished behind “The Vow” as number two last weekend, took the top prize on its second weekend with a $24 million gross.

CHICAGO – In a time of year that doesn’t tend to see big box office weekends, four new films combined to total over $130 million at the box office this past weekend. Romance trumped drama, fantasy/adventure, and a 3D re-release as “The Vow” was the top film of the weekend.

CHICAGO – “The Vow” was “inspired by true events.” The end credits even showed the real couple of those events. Given the actual film, it’s likely that inspiration came in the form of “making stuff up,” as Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum were opposite to any reality in this illogical, strangely cold romance.

CHICAGO – In a battle that stayed tight from Mindnight Thursday Night/Friday Morning all the way through Super Bowl Sunday, the new film “Chronicle” edged the thriller “The Woman in Black” to win the weekend box office. The totals for both films surprised many who didn’t project such high totals over the weekend, and puts both films in the record books.

CHICAGO – In our latest set and filmed in Chicago edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 30 admit-two movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of the highly anticipated new film “The Vow” starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum!