‘Hobbs & Shaw’ at No. 1 against newcomers

‘Hobbs & Shaw’ at No. 1 against newcomers

LOS ANGELES

Audiences helped the “Fast & Furious” spinoff “Hobbs & Shaw” take another lap at No. 1 even with an onslaught of four new major releases this weekend. From family films to R-rated adult fare, moviegoers had their pick as studios tried to capitalize on the waning days of summer. But although August can be a great opportunity for non-superhero films, it’s not a sure thing. And this weekend some, such as “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” fared better than others, like the Melissa McCarthy and Tiffany Haddish mob thriller “The Kitchen.”

“Hobbs & Shaw” managed to hold on to first place again. According to estimates from Universal Pictures Sunday, the Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham action flick fell 58 percent from its first weekend but added $25.4 million from North American theaters.

Second place went to the PG-13 film “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” from CBS Films and eOne Entertainment, which cut through the clutter with a better than expected $20.8 million.

Rounding out the top five were: “The Lion King,” $20 million, third place; “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” $17 million, fourth place; and “Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood,” $11.6 million, fifth place.

Cosby appeal tests other accusers’ testimony in #MeToo era

When three Pennsylvania Superior Court judges gather today to hear Bill Cosby’s appeal of his sexual assault conviction, more than the aging comedian’s freedom may be at stake.

As the first celebrity convicted in the #MeToo era, the court scrutiny of the case could cement – or threaten – the movement itself.

Cosby, charged over a 2004 encounter, first went on trial in June 2017 – months before accusations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein would unleash the #MeToo era. Prosecutors asked to call 13 other women to bolster the account of Cosby accuser Andrea Constand.

Judge Steven O’Neill allowed just one, and the suburban Philadelphia jury deadlocked after six days of deliberations.

Cosby, long beloved as “America’s Dad” for his TV role as Dr. Cliff Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” left the Montgomery County Courthouse triumphant while his lawyers delivered a scathing attack on the judge and prosecutor written by his wife, Camille Cosby.

The appeals court will consider more than a half-dozen alleged trial errors, including the defense claim that Cosby had a promise from a former prosecutor that he would never be charged in the case.

Associated Press