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"Foxcatcher" And "The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies" Among Films Crowding Weekend Box Office

DETROIT (WWJ) – It's a very crowded weekend at the box office with Annie, Foxcatcher, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb and Wild opening today. And the new movie, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, opened on Wednesday. Which, if any, are worth checking out? Let's take a look at two of my favorites.

Foxcatcher

Foxcatcher is based on the true story of two champion wrestlers: Mark Schultz, an Olympic Gold Medal winning wrestler and his brother, Dave, along with their relationship with eccentric multi-millionaire John du Pont. Du Pont invites Mark Schultz to move onto his family's lavish estate and train at Foxcatcher, his state-of-the-art athletic training facility. Eventually, Dave moves onto the estate as well, lured of course, by an offer he just couldn't refuse.

Mark agreed to move onto the estate earlier because he saw it as a chance to escape poverty, build a team to train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics and step out of Dave's shadow. As for Du Pont, he was looking to make a name for himself as head coach of the team and to earn the respect of his mother, who wanted nothing to do with the sport he desperately wanted to be a part of.

With the very meticulous and talented director Bennett Miller at the helm, this movie really digs deep into the complicated relationship between the three men and shows how seemingly good intentions unfortunately spiraled out of control, ruining numerous lives in the process.

Channing Tatum outdoes himself in the role of Mark. Yes, he's that good. Mark Ruffalo is fantastic as Dave; and Steve Carrell transforms himself and is almost unrecognizable as John du Pont.

Foxcatcher is highly recommended.

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Anyone who's seen the previous Hobbit movies will definitely want to see this one. It is, after all, the third in a trilogy of films focusing on the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Thorin and the Company of Elves.

Picking up where the second installment left off, the Dwarves of Erebor have reclaimed the mountain and the vast riches inside, but there's still plenty of trouble ahead. Thorin is consumed with trying to find the Arkenstone, while refusing to listen to reason and share any of the wealth inside the mountain. Ultimately, war ensues between five great armies, all leading up to an epic conclusion.

Another film to add to your list of movies to see. Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson.

See you at the movies!

Be sure to tune in to WWJ Newsradio 950 every Friday at 2:40pm for my weekly look at the movies with Midday Anchor Jackie Paige.

Follow Terri on Twitter @TerriJLee

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