The second half of August always smells a bit like cast-off season. Hollywood is transitioning from the go-go-go sensibility of the summer into the cooler, calmer fall of quieter dramas and "serious" movies (just as the rest of us are prepping for school to start and vacations to die). In between is a dry plain full of oddball pictures. The August 20 Bullseye gives us a good look at this, with the bubbles flying all over the place.

Opening wide this weekend are the Miramax romantic comedy "The Switch," the Universal family film "Nanny McPhee Returns," the Warner Bros. comedy "Lottery Ticket" and the Dimension horror remake "Piranha 3D." The Fox/New Regency spoof "Vampires Suck" got a head start Wednesday with $4 million.

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We'll also see what kind of legs Sony's "Eat Pray Love" and Lionsgate's "The Expendables" -- the last two real big summer efforts -- maintain after last weekend's openings. Chris Nolan's "Inception" and Columbia's "The Other Guys" will still be in minor play, as well.

On the indie front, Oscilloscope released Yael Hersonski's documentary "A Film Unfinished" Wednesday, while Samuel Goldwyn Films opens Bruce Beresford's "Mao's Last Dancer" in limited engagements and Anchor Bay Films opens Josh Radnor's Sundance debut "HappyThankYouMorePlease" on Friday.

Here’s Carl DiOrio's boxoffice preview and the Bullseye for the weekend of Aug. 13, plus my Monday follow-up, for added context.

Comments and observations after the jump:

Memories of Sundance may be fading away, but deals for many of its titles are only beginning to gear up. As overnight film-fest bidding wars become an endangered species, the indie film market is allowing buyers to take their sweet time choosing a higher quality level of film, with more coastal execs screening pics to be sure they’re the right fit. It’s worth noting that last year’s biggest deal (and biggest hit) “Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire,” wrapped its Lionsgate distribution pact a week after Sundance ended. The 2010 iteration's Sunday close had no effect on continuing dealmaking.

While the major Sundance 2010 titles have been flirting with cutting distribution deals, some lower-profile films have been closing their own. Here's a quick roundup of some of the off-the-radar dealmaking from the last few days.