“Hustlers” is a hit. Last night (and including $2 million of Thursday previews) the comedy-drama took in $13 million. That’s biggest opening ever for Jennifer Lopez, with more than $30 million for the weekend expected.

Jennifer Lopez’s prior biggest opening weekend was way back in 2005, for “Monster-in-Law,” in which she played Jane Fonda’s daughter-in-law to be. That number was $23.1 million for the weekend. It was also her highest grossing film, with $82 million. She’s never appeared in a live action film that’s made more than that.

Lopez has had bigger openings since then, but they were animated films in which she was part of an ensemble. Right before she starred in “Monster-in-Law,” JLo starred with then boyfriend Ben Affleck in “Gigli,” infamously one of the worst and most-mocked movies of all time.

“Hustlers” will change a lot about JLo’s film career, at least for the near future. Its relative success will breed at least one sequel, even though the true story of strippers drugging and bilking Wall Streeters stopped with the end of that movie. You know somehow those characters will make a return trip to the screen. In the meantime, her stock goes up and she’ll get at least a Golden Globe nomination (not so sure about an Oscar).

You win some, you lose some. Warner Bros. learned this the hard way last night as “The Goldfinch” took in just $870,000 in over 2,500 theaters.

The all star adaptation of Donna Tartt’s beloved and best selling novel cost between $40 and $50 million. The weekend take should be $2 million if they’re lucky.

Warner’s also has the monster hit, “It: Chapter Two,” which will be followed by “Joker.” So they’re okay. But “Goldfinch” would have nice for awards season. The good news is that “Goldfriend” is really a movie from Amazon Studios, which Warner’s distributed. They didn’t make it. So don’t blame them!

What a pedigree, too! Directed by John Crowley, cinematography by Roger Deakins. with Nicole Kidman, Ansel Elgort, Sarah Paulson, Jeffrey Wright star in the film about an art theft.

But everything went wrong. For Kidman, who got good notices in the film, it’s a disappointment, too. She already had a big hit this year with “The Upside,” which made over $100 million. Again, you win some, you lose some.

Even though it wasn’t their movie, Warner’s might be jumpy about “Goldfinch” since its star, Elgort, is filming Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” right now. But it’s not the actor, it’s the material. I think Elgort will soar as Tony in the updated musical.

I guess only Rian Johnson could persuade Frank Oz to take an onscreen role in a comedy.

But the director of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” had the upper hand; Oz has been voicing Yoda, the rabbi of “Star Wars,” since 1977.

Oz has not only played Yoda through all the “Star Wars” movies, he’s been the motivating reason why the Muppets have gone on to fame and glory in their movies and all their TV shows following their introduction on “Sesame Street.” Oz began his career as a puppeteer, and now may be the most famous of all time. Oz has also directed some classic movies including Steve Martin’s “Bowfinger,” Kevin Kline in “In and Out,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “The Muppets Take Manhattan,” and “The Dark Crystal.”

In “Knives Out,” which wowed Toronto Film Festival audiences this past week, Oz plays the only normal character, the estate lawyer for the crazy Thrombey family. Their patriarch (Christopher Plummer) has died– either by murder or suicide– and Oz’s character presides over the reading of his last will and testament. Daniel Craig plays a mysterious investigator hired to solve the crime– with a Southern drawl, no less, he is hilarious. Among the suspects are Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Don Johnson, and Toni Collette. Ana de Armas plays Harlan Thrombey’s loyal nurses aide.

On screen previously, Oz has a couple of walk ons or cameos long forgotten. But his turn in “Knives Out.” whichopens November 27th, is his first real role with lines and a purpose. He’s only 75, so maybe this is just the beginning of a new career!  “Knives Out” already has a near perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. But a wise choice to have Yoda advising a nutty, wealthy family. As usual he’s the voice of reason!

SO many things to say about James Gray’s “Ad Astra,” which opens next Friday, September 20th.

The main thing is, this role of Roy, an astronaut in the near future, gives Brad Pitt a chance to shine dramatically and in a lead role. It could be one of two Oscar nominations for him, with Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” his other one, in supporting. Wouldn’t that be a kick?

But “Ad Astra” is a little lost in space, sort of a Terrence Malick meditation in the pitch black skies. It’s a gorgeous movie to look at, not just because Brad Pitt is, well, Brad Pitt. Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography feels as if he went into space and shot there, on the moon, Mars, and Neptune. Even the Earth looks good under Hoytema’s gaze.

This is not a movie of a lot of action, though. It’s a lot of interior monologues, and feelings. There’s no supporting roles big enough to mean much. It’s all Brad. Even Tommy Lee Jones, playing Brad’s long lost thought-dead astronaut father doesn’t get much of a star turn. Some supporting players are literally left twisting in the wind. I have no idea what happened to Donald Sutherland’s character, Ruth Negga’s, or Liv Tyler’s although at least she, Liv, has some character development. I’m giving a shout out to Sean Blakemore, who is not getting his due in movies.

No, it’s all about Roy McBride, a classic loner, no kids, a disgruntled wife (Tyler), who’s never gotten over his dad disappearing into space decades earlier. Turns out he’s alive, and causing trouble on Neptune. NASA is sending him to find Clifford McBride and stop him. So the movie is basically Roy ruminating on their relationship. SO it’s up to Brad to big his big game, not just the fun stuff that we know he’s capable of.

And he does it. Not since “Moneyball” has Pitt seemed so engaged and confident. He’s not just a movie star, a tabloid subject, etc. He’s an actor. And “Ad Astra” gives him a chance to show us what he can do. It helps to that lines and crevices have arrived on his perfect face, giving him more character than ever. It’s possible that Pitt, like Clint Eastwood, will find the “mature”part of his career the most fulfilling. I’m down for it.

Since the Oscar prognosticators are going mad with projections, I’d put him squarely on the bill with Michael B. Jordan, Adam Driver, Taron Egerton, Edward Norton, Christian Bale, and Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s early yet, there’s a lot more to come. but at least we’re in the same galaxy, er, on the same page.