The weekend warriors for February 8, 2013 includes Side Effects and Identity Thief along with a limited IMAX 3D re-release of Top Gun. Box Office Battlefield is a recurring rundown of all the movie releases for the weekend. Every week, movie studios select candidates to enter the glorious battlefield for your hard earned dollars. Box Office Battlefield is here to help you decide which movie(s) will take priority over the others.

Last weekend, a little zom-rom-com was able to best all of the January garbage. Warm Bodies is just one of the few movies that should get us by through February. With the Oscars slowly approaching in a few weeks, studios will still hold back the goods until March. So brace yourself, we’re not out of the woods yet, but we’re getting there.

Can wackiness overcome the power of Soderbergh? Will audiences still like Melissa McCarthy outside of her Bridesmaids persona? Can Channing Tatum have another remarkable year? Stop stealing my life, I feel woozy. This is the Box Office Battlefield:

Identity Thief (Rated R) – (Directed by Seth Gordon) Starring Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy, John Cho, and Amanda Peet

Synopsis: Mild-mannered businessman Sandy Patterson travels from Denver to Miami to confront the deceptively harmless-looking woman who has been living it up after stealing Sandy’s identity.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 27% • Audience – 76%

The trailer for Identity Thief looks OK. I feel like most of the funnier moments have been revealed in the promos, which is never the vibe you want to give. The aspect of Bateman and McCarthy running away from gangsters seems half-cocked and I’m going to assume that it won’t amount to anything. What we see in the trailer is what we’re going to get. We wanted more Melissa McCarthy after Bridesmaids, well we’re going to get her this year. And also, Jason Bateman needs to stop playing Jason Bateman. I haven’t heard any good things about this movie either, but at least it’s rated R. RENT IT!

Side Effects (Rated R) – (Directed by Steven Soderbergh) Starring Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law, and Catherine Zeta-Jones

Synopsis: Emily and Martin are a successful New York couple whose world unravels when a new drug prescribed by Emily’s psychiatrist – intended to treat anxiety – has unexpected side effects.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: Critics – 83% • Audience – 70%

Soderbergh is an interesting fellow. Since 2006, we’ve received a new film from the director every year; each different from the last. His palette is very stretched, and you have to give the guy credit, but all of his movies feel lifeless. At times his films lack warmth. Now I’ve  heard pretty great things about Side Effects, which has me curious. I did like Magic Mike and Contagion so I’ll keep an open mind. I wouldn’t say this movie looks like it would be for everyone, but it may be something you want to look into on a rainy day. RENT IT!

And for those nostalgia driven movie fans out there, Top Gun is getting a limited IMAX 3D re-release. That’s right, TOP GUN IN IMAX! It’s probably the best compromise you could make with your loved one after you convince her of all the wonderful lovey dovey time you’ll be spending with her next weekend. Top Gun is a perfect way to balance out your week.

Movie synopses courtesy of IMDb.com