Sunday, April 20, 2008

Box Office Report: Hitler's Birthday Weekend

Dude here again. The weeks are just flying by, as we're towards the end of April, a mere two weeks away from big noisy, stupid summer movies. And I can't wait. However, we still have two more weeks, and I'll be damned if I'm not gonna report those two weeks with gusto and energy and absolutely no slacking whatsoever. No matter what!

This weekend, Jackie Chan and Jet Li walk into a bar and... (fill in pun about making a lot of money that I'm too lazy to make here). 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. Just to prove this column wrong).

1. The Forbidden Kingdom (LGF) - $20.8, 3151 screens, week 1, $20.8 total

2. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Uni) - $17.3, 2798 screens, week 1, $17.3 total

3. Prom Night (ScrGms) - $9.1, 2700 screens, week 2, $32.5 total

4. 88 Minutes (Sony) - $6.8, 2168 screens, week 1, $6.8 total

5. Nim's Island (Fox) - $5.6, 3277 screens, week 3, $32.8 total

6. 21 (Sony)- $5.5, 2903 screens, week 4, $69.9 total

7. Street Kings (FoxS) - $4.0, 2469 screens, week 2, $19.8 total

8. Horton Hears A Who! (Fox) - $3.5, 2670 screens, week 6, $144.4 total

9. Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed (RM) - $3.1, 1052 screens, week 1, $3.1 total

10. Leatherheads (Uni)- $3.0, 2798 screens, week 3, $26.5 total

So those are the numbers, but what do they mean? Well, what do YOU think they mean? Ask yourselves what Forbidden Kingdom grossing $20 million means to you. And how about the nice showing of Sarah Marshall? The Apatow brand name isn't dead yet, wouldn't you agree? And what about 88 Minutes, an Al Pacino movie that's been released in Europe over a year ago. It was released, and looking at the chart, you can see what the numbers mean.

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, a documentary on Creationism opened in 9th place. How does that make you feel? Inside, I mean? How about the declining performances of the other films in the top ten? Does that make you feel sad, that they weren't given a proper chance to succeed? Or joy, at their failures? Or complete and utter indifference? Please tell me.

Below the top ten, perhaps a few films. opened up that made some money. Perhaps not.

And in the "Because It's There" series: Last week The Bucket List took in $353,000 on 390, bringing its grand total to $92,171,000 in 16 weeks. The Bucket List. Think about that one.

There you have my complete, thorough, award winning box office break down of the greatest journalistic integrity, chock full of hours of hard work. Next week, another movie opens. And it continues.

Until next weekend....

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