The -ist List: Box office slump? Get outta here!

Apparently, Hollywood is in a bit of a slump. Yes, it's quite a surprise. Everyone is looking for an excuse, be it Netflix or file sharing, but Houstonist has the answer: The movies are, by and large, kinda awful. According to Box Office Mojo, the top 10 box office draws include: Aeon Flux at No. 2, a movie so bad they didn't even screen it to critics; Yours, Mine, and Ours at No. 4, a remake that seems to exist soley to spite the Steve Martin magnum opus that is Cheaper by the Dozen; and In the Mix at No. 10, the DJ-turned-bodyguard-for-mob-action-comedy Usher vehicle. You'd be hard-pressed to blame this on piracy. So if you're looking to head to the Angelika for cheap date night this week, you may be better off just cozying up and playing some Scrabble — until this weekend, that is, when Houston will see the release of:

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — At the very least, it's a shoo-in for the Longest Name Oscar®. C.S. Lewis' beloved series of fantasy novels are finally heading to the big screen, hoping to cash in on the sword-and-sorcery success of Lord of the Rings and the mobilizing power of church groups. Rated PG so it's fun for the whole family, and it's likely to be playing at every multiplex in town.

Syriana — The Hollywood hip crowd strikes again, once again under the Participant Productions banner that brought us Good Night, and Good Luck and encourages us to drive funny electric cars. The team behind Traffic is getting in on the Middle East game, and they've brought George Clooney, Matt Damon, Chris Cooper and the guy who played Delmar in O Brother, Where Art Thou? along for the ride. Opening this Friday at the Angelika , and Rated R for language, violence and grittiness.

Granted, this isn't much, but it should tide you over until the glut of Oscar-bait starts rolling in next week. King Kong, we're looking at you.