Box Office Report 12-11-06

Dude here again, fighting difficult computers and dodgy internet service, all in an attempt to report the weekend box office numbers. I do it out of love, not money. A love of reading numbers and typing them up in a humorous fashion. And making witty asides about what they mean in the larger picture of an unloving and uncaring Hollywood.

This week, I actually have to do some work and move the numbers around a little bit. It's taxing, sure, but it's what I do. Happy Feet can't remain number one forever. Let's go to the numbers, shall we? (All in millions, remember, and these are the studio estimates, the actuals will be available on Monday).

1. Apocalypto (BV)- $14.166, 2465 screens, week 1, $14.166 total

2. The Holiday (Sony) - $13.5, 2610 screens, week 1, $13.5 total

3. Happy Feet (WB) - $12.7, 3650 screens, week 4, $137.7 total

4. Casino Royale (Sony/MGM) - $8.8, 3161 screens, week 4, $128.89 total

5. Blood Diamond (WB) - $8.5, 1910 screens, week 1, $8.5 total

6. Unaccompanied Minors (WB) - $6.2, 2775 screens, week 1, $6.2 total

7. Deja Vu (BV) - $6.0, 2742 screens, week 3, $53.0 total

8. The Nativity Story (NL)- $5.575, 3083 screens, week 2, $15.769 total

9. Deck The Halls (Fox) - $3.9, 2766 screens, week 3, $30.076 total

10. Santa Clause 3 (Disney) - $3.3, 2226 screens, week 6, $77.2 total

Ok, those are the numbers, but what do they mean? Well, if you're Mel Gibson, you can sort of breathe a sigh of relief. Sort of. At least don't go celebrating in Malibu with some tequila. (Couldn't resist that one). Apocalypto managed to squeak by The Holiday and take the top spot for the weekend. Pretty impressive for a subtitled movie that I've heard is almost a snuff film... Kind of like Gibson's last directorial effort, the one with the Jesus. (As my dad likes to call it).

If you're The Holiday, you didn't quite come in first, but I have a feeling that it will continue to perform strongly through the holiday season, as it seems to be nice, warm and fuzzy. People like fuzzy romantic movies. I'm not one of them. But I've heard that some people enjoy these films.

Alright, so I wanna see The Holiday. Sue me, I've got a Kate WInslet thing. And on some days a Jude Law thing.

If you're Blood Diamond, you didn't do so well. Perhaps people weren't into the idea of a movie about the morals involved with getting diamonds from the mines in Africa to your girlfriend's finger. Or perhaps (like me) you felt that Leo's accent was pretty laughable, and couldn't take the idea of two hours of it. Either way, the film failed to perform. There's still hope for making more if awards are kindly to the film, but I don't see that happening.

If you're Unaccompanied Minors, you managed to take in a little bit of money. I doubt it will holdover. However,
if it performed less, then the last four movies in the top ten would all be Christmas themed films. As it stands, only the last three are Xmas related.

It's the little things in life that make it worthwhile, ya know?

Below the radar, a movie opened up called Screamers. It took in $23,000 on 4 screens. This Screamers, however, is not the kickass one with Peter Weller about the underground robots. Oh well.

And in the "just because it's there and because I can" series: Babel took in $458,900 on 373 screens, bringing it's grand total to $17,607,000 in 7 weeks

There you have my not so wonderful break down. Next week a whole lot more movies are coming out, one of which will probably take over the #1 spot. I have a sneaking suspicion that it might involve a dragon. Call it a hunch.

Until next weekend....