Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler teamed up for the Sony comedy that co-starred model/actress Brooklyn Decker, released in theaters Feb. 11. Though the film grossed $103 million domestically, the film was not well-received by critics; on Rotten Tomatoes, Just Go With It received a paltry 19 percent rating (though audiences seemed to be more empathetic, with compiled reviews hovering around 63 percent).
No Strings Attached, led by Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, was one of two films released in 2011 that had similar premises — the other being Friends With Benefits, starring Portman's Black Swan cohort Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake. The Paramount feature, which The Hollywood Reporter's Todd McCarthy called a "light-weight sex romp that plays like an R-rated sitcom," made $70.7 million at the domestic box office.
The animated effort featuring a voice cast toplined by Johnny Depp stands out as one of the year's top awards contenders. THR's Todd McCarthy wrote that "in the absence of any significant live-action contribution to the genre, Rango did its bit to keep the Western alive in 2011." Released in early March, Paramount's Rango grossed $123.6 million in the U.S. box office, according to Box Office Mojo and was well-reviewed by film critics.
Director Ron Howard found himself in hot water after the trailer for the Kevin James-Vince Vaughn comedy included a gay joke that Universal later pulled from the promo after GLAAD voiced its unhappiness. In the original trailer for The Dilemma, which made less than $50 million at the U.S. box office, Vaughn is seen delivering a presentation about electric cars in a board room setting, where he delivers the line, “Electric cars are gay. I mean, not homosexual gay, but my-parents-are-chaperoning-the-dance gay.”
Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis lead the cast for the comedy from Hangover director Todd Phillips, Due Date. THR's Todd McCarthy wrote in his review: "The pairing of live-wire Robert Downey Jr. with the slow-burning Zach Galifianakis strikes enough wild sparks to make this unendearing road trip a potent, if not sensational, late-fall commercial comedy." The Warner Bros. big-screen effort drew $100.5 million in domestic box office receipts, despite relatively lackluster reviews (Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 39 percent rating among film critics).
Featuring the voices of Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Will Arnett, Kristen Wiig and more, the 3D CGI comedy about a super-villain and his yellow minions opened huge this summer, collecting $56.4 million over the July 4 holiday, on its way to joining 2011's $200 million club. Domestically, the Universal pic has topped $251.5 million.
Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp teamed in the romantic thriller from acclaimed director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck that underwhelmed at the boxoffice as well as among critics. The action pic, with a budget pegged at $100 million, opened at no. 2 in March and has collected a modest $67.6 million domestically despite the Hollywood A-list pairing.
Matthew McConaughey stars as an ambulance-chasing attorney who conducts business from the back of his Lincoln Continental who must defend a Beverly Hills playboy accused of battery and attempted murder (Ryan Phillippe). The pic opened at No. 4 in March and has collected $58 million domestically. In addition, ABC is adapting the film for the small screen with author/screenwriter Michael Connelly.
Seth Rogen starred as the crime fighter made famous in the DC Comics series and, despite less than ideal reviews, the pic opened at No. 1 in January. The film about a delenquent superhero and his tough yet quiet sidekick (Jay Chou) has grossed $98.8 million domestically.
Featuring a cast of hot young Hollywood stars including Alex Pettyfer and Glee's Dianna Agron, with a screenplay by Smallville's Alfred Gough, Miles Millar and Buffy's Marti Noxon, Pettyfer played an alien from outer space who frequently changes schools because other aliens are out to destroy him. The pic opened at No. 2 and has grossed $55.1 million domestically.