"Angels," Ron Howard's follow-up to "Da Vinci Code," earned $1.35 million from 800 screens.

Italy was one of the top-performing countries for "Da Vinci," which had plenty of local appeal because of its Catholic-centric storyline, and opposition from the Vatican.

This time around, the church is keeping a much lower profile.

Howard's "Da Vinci" posted an opening-day gross of $2.5 million in Italy, although that was on a Friday.

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Forty 3-D Movies Currently in Production

Monsters vs Aliens box office success is yet more evidence of a 3-D explosion. Moviegoers say the new 3-D films are a lot of film. Reuters says forty 3-D films are currently in production. The 3-D technology also provides studios with a new way to motivate people to go to the theatre.



Posted on April 17, 2009
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Dark Knight Steals The Mummy's Box Office Victory

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emporer opened strong Friday night and beat The Dark Knight - winning the box office for the evening. Unfortunately, for The Mummy was unable to sustain its momentum and The Dark Knight went on to win the weekend box office. The Dark Knight has now grossed nearly $400 million in the U.S. and nearly $600 million worldwide.



Posted on August 4, 2008
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I Am Legend Breaks Box Office Records

Will Smith stole the box office this past weekend: his SF film I Am Legend made a whopping $76.5 million. That is a new box officer record for December that was previously held by Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which opened with $72.6 million in 2003.

In second place was the poorly-reviewed Alvin and the Chipmunks which made $45 million. The Golden Compass hung on for third place, making $9 million. In fourth place was Enchanted which made another $6 million. In fifth place was No Country for Old Men, which made $3 million.

Posted on December 17, 2007
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Beowulf Slays Box Office Rivals

Beowulf topped the box office this past weekend, in what was a lackluster performance for movies overall. The remaking of the epic poem took in $27,515,871, which will surely build based on the excellent reviews and breathtaking imagery. In second place was Bee Movie, which took in another $14,008,444, bringing its cumulative to date to $93,570,695. In third place was American Gangster which made $12,875,250. That brings its box office total to date to $100,650,615.

In fourth place was Fred Claus which made $11,914,323. In a dismal fifth place was Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium which elicited $9,630,085 in its opening weekend. Another dud that opened this past weekend was Love in the Time of Cholera, which made only $1,924,860. Even an Oprah assist couldn't save that one.

Posted on November 20, 2007
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Bee Movie Wins the Weekend

Jerry Seinfeld's Bee Movie buzzed into the top box office spot in its second week of release, making an estimated $26,000,000. That brings the animated film's gross to date to $72,214,000. In second place is last weekend's box office winner, American Gangster, which made another $24,319,000, bringing its cumulative to $80,679,000.

In third place was Fred Claus, which made $19,225,000 and a surprisingly decent (considering the awful reviews) $5,335 per theater. In fourth place was Lions for Lambs, which opened with a disappointing $6,710,000. The film stars Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, but moviegoers are staying away from Iraq War-themed movies in droves.

In fifth place was Dan in Real Life which made another $5,872,000, bringing its total take to date to $30,678,000. The horror thriller P2 opened in eighth place, making $2,200,000.

Posted on November 12, 2007
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American Gangster Rules the Box Office

Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe delivered a knockout punch to Jerry Seinfeld and his bees this past weekend; American Gangster topped the box office making $43,565,115 with an excellent per theater showing of $14,264. Bee Movie came in second making $38,021,044, with a per theater take of $9,679.

In third place was Saw IV, which made another $10,348,646. In fourth place was Dan in Real Life which made $7,870,196. In fifth place was The Game Plan, which made another $3,931,491, bringing the family-friendly comedy's gross to a whopping $82,035,100. John Cusack had a disastrous opening with Martian Child,which made only $3,376,669.

Posted on November 6, 2007
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Saw IV Rules the Box Office

Saw IV topped the box office this past weekend, making an estimated $32,110,000. That probably ensures the joyous arrival of Saw IV next Halloween. Joy. In second place was Steve Carrell in Dan in Real Life, which made $12,081,000 with a very nice per theater take of $6,288. In third place was 30 Days of Night which made another $6,700,000, bringing its cumulative total to $27,318,000.

In fourth place was The Game Plan, which made another $6,257,000. The film has now grossed $77,067,000 domestically, which is very good news for The Rock. In fifth place is Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married, which made another $5,740,000, bringing its domestic take to $47,300,000.

In sixth place was George Clooney in Michael Clayton, which made another $5,030,000. That brings the film's total take to date to $28,774,000. And in seventh place was Gone Baby Gone, starring Casey Affleck and directed by Ben Affleck. In its second week, the film took another $3,900,000, which brings its cumulative to $11,310,000.

Posted on October 29, 2007
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30 Days of Night Wins Box Office

Sony's 30 Days of Night topped the box office this past weekend, making an estimated $15,951,902. The vampire flick stars Josh Hartnett and Melissa George. In second place was Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married which made another $12,186,011. That brings its gross to $38,950,821. In third place was The Game Plan which made an estimated $8,178,646, bringing its gross to date to a mind-boggling $69,206,626. This means lots more movies for The Rock.

In fourth place was George Clooney in the well-reviewed Michael Clayton, which made another $6,677,272, putting its gross at $21,563,586. In fifth place was The Comebacks, which made an estimated $5,554,594. The Ben Affleck-directed Gone Baby Gone opened in fifth place, with an estimated take of $5,501,406. The excellently-reviewed film opened in only 1,713 theaters and had a per theater take of $3,211.

Rendition, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon, really tanked at the box office. It opened in ninth place, with an estimated take of $4,060,012.

Posted on October 22, 2007
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Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Tops the Box Office

Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married ruled the box office this past weekend, making an estimated $21,500,000. The per theater gross was an astounding $10,691. That's good news for Janet Jackson, in particular, who would like to get her acting career going. In second place was The Rock in The Game Plan, which made another $11,506,000. It's gross to date is $59,447,000.

In third place was George Clooney in Michael Clayton which made $11,010,000. We Own the Night, the crime thriller starring Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg, came in fourth making only $11,000,000. That has to be a big disappointment for the studio. In fifth place was The Heartbreak Kid starring Ben Stiller which made another $7,425,000. In sixth place was Elizabeth: The Golden Age starring Cate Blanchett and Clive Owen in the sequel to Elizabeth. Opening in relatively few theaters, the film made an estimated $6,183,000.

Posted on October 15, 2007
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The Rock Rules the Box Office For the Second Week

The Rock had a great weekend: his movie The Game Plan ruled the box office for the second weekend in a row. The film made $16,262,000, for a total U.S. take to date of $42,811,000. Ben Stiller, on the other hand, had a terrible weekend. His comedy, The Heartbreak Kid, came in second with only $14,031,000. The film was a remake of a Neil Simon comedy, only without the funny.

In third place was The Kingdom, which made $9,345,000, bringing its gross to date to $31,368,000. In fourth place was Resident Evil: Extinction, which made $4,300,000. That brings its cumulative take to $43,474,000. In fifth place was The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising from Fox. The film opened with $3,725,000.

Posted on October 8, 2007
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The Rock is Victorious at the Box Office

The Rock has a family-friendly hit on his hands with Disney's The Game Plan, which topped the box office this past weekend, making an estimated $22,675,000. Jennifer Garner and Jamie Foxx came in second with The Kingdom, which made an estimated $17,694,000. In third place was Resident Evil: Extinction which made an estimated $8,000,000, bringing its gross to date to $36,790,000.

In fourth place was Good Luck Chuck in its second week of release. It made $6,300,000, for a gross to date of only $23,569,000. In fifth place was 3:10 to Yuma starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, which made $4,160,000, bringing its gross to date to $43,904,000.

Posted on October 1, 2007
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Halloween Leads Slow Box Office Weekend

Rob Zombie's remake of the John Carpenter classic horror film Halloween led the box office this past weekend, making an estimated $26,503,000, despite universally withering reviews. In second place was Superbad in its third week, which made an estimated $12,200,000. Balls of Fury, the ping pong comedy which has been trashed by critics, opened in third with a weak $11,604,795. Even Christopher Walken couldn't save that one.

In fourth place was The Bourne Ultimatum which made another $10,183,000, bringing its U.S. tally to date to $199,603,000. Rush Hour 3 made another $8,560,000, bringing its U.S. tally to date to $120,416,000, which is still less than its $140 million budget. It will do well on DVD of course, but the film's totals are lagging behind Rush Hour 1 and 2, making a sequel unlikely at this point. The Kevin Bacon revenge thriller, Death Sentence opened with a dismal $4,180,000.

Posted on September 3, 2007
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Superbad Tops the Box Office

Superbad ruled the box office this past weekend, making an estimated $31,200,000. The comedy had really good buzz, which helped propel it ahead of of Rush Hour 3, which made an estimated $21,831,000 in its second week of release. In third place was The Bourne Ultimatum, which made another $18,986,000, putting its total U.S. gross to date at $163,806,000.

In fourth place was The Simpsons, with $6,675,000. The film has now grossed $165,117,000 so far. In fifth place was the remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, called Invasion. Invasion, which stars Nicole Kidman, made a disappointing $6,000,000. The buzz has been terrible on this movie. In sixth place was Stardust, which made another $5,244,000 in its second week of release.

Posted on August 20, 2007
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Rush Hour 3 Tops the Box Office

Rush Hour 3 topped the box office this past weekend, making $49,100,158, with a $12,996 average per theater take. It took six years for the sequel to be made, mostly because Chris Tucker just hasn't felt like making movies, which is a shame. The take wasn't as big as Rush Hour 2, but give the lengthy time between sequels, it did very well. In second place was The Bourne Ultimatum, which made another $32,879,125, putting its gross to date at $131,552,425. The Simpsons held onto third place, bringing in another $11,269,651, putting its gross at $152,381,993.

Opening in a disappointing fourth place was the absolutely delightful adult fairy tale, Stardust, which made $9,169,779. The film, based on the bestselling novel by Neil Gaiman, is a wonderful adventure tale, full of magic, sly humor and real heart. Michelle Pfeiffer as the vain witch Lamia turns in an Oscar-worthy performance, as does Robert DeNiro as Captain Shakespeare. In the leads are Charlie Cox (the young hero on a quest) and Clare Danes (the falling star the hero is searching for), who both fit their roles perfectly. The chorus of the dead princes includes the hilarious Rupert Everett, and Peter O'Toole has a cameo as the head of one of the nastiest royal families around. The critics loved Stardust, but the marketing people had no clue how to sell such a cross-genre film. Ignore the ads, and just go see it.

Posted on August 14, 2007
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Bourne Ultimatum Crushes Competition

Matt Damon shows he has what it takes to be a top action hero: The Bourne Ultimatum crushed its competition this past weekend, making an estimated $70,181,000 with a per-theater gross of $19,175. With breathtaking action, perfectly choreographed surveillance and fight scenes, it really is the best thriller of the year so far. In second place was The Simpsons Movie, which made an estimated $25,600,000. In third place was Underdog which debuted with an estimated take of $12,009,000.

Also opening this weekend were Hot Rod which made $5,015,000, Bratz, which made $4,310,000, and the Hector Lavoe biopic, El Cantante , which made $3,254,000 in a limited release with a very nice per-theater groos of $6,003. El Cantante , which stars Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez, has had mixed reviews. Still, some major critics loved the film and it will go into wider release soon.

Posted on August 6, 2007
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Simpsons Rule the Box Office



The Simpsons Movie rocked the box office, making an estimated $71,850,000 in its opening weekend. In second place was I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, which made an estimated $19,063,000. That brings the film's gross to date to $71,610,000. In third place was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix which made another $17,065,000, bringing its American gross to date to $241,771,000.

Opening this weekend to disastrous reviews and box office was Lindsay Lohan's thriller, I Know Who Killed Me, which made an estimated $3,400,000. Also debuting this weekend was Who's Your Caddy?, which made a miserable $2,900,000.

Posted on July 30, 2007
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Chuck and Larry Rule the Box Office

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry ruled the box office this past weekend, making $34,233,750. In second place was the juggernaut that is the latest Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix which made $32,511,350, for an American gross to date of $207,866,865.

In third place was Hairspray, featuring John Travolta in drag, which made $27,476,745. In fourth place was Transformers which made $20,514,497. Transformers has made $262,978,000 domestically so far. In fifth place was Ratatouille, which made another $10,899,179, bringing its American take to date to $165,519,955.

Posted on July 25, 2007
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Transformers Tops the Box Office

Transformers crunched the competition, making $70,502,384 over the weekend and $155,405,412 in its opening week. Michael Bay must be deliriously happy. We know Transformers fans are. In second place this past weekend was Ratatouille, which made $29,014,293. In third place was Live Free or Die Hard, which made $17,730,149, bringing its total take to date to $84,424,123.

In fourth place was the Robin Williams comedy, License to Wed, which opened with $10,422,258. In fifth place was Even Almighty, which made another $8,719,135.

It was clearly a Transformers weekend.

Posted on July 9, 2007
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Ratatouille Tops the Box Office

The animated feature Ratatouille topped the box office this past weekend, making an estimated $47,027,395. In second place was Live Free or Die Hard which made $33,369,559 and proved that Bruce Willis still has what it takes as an action hero. The film also had excellent reviews and should have some legs.

Evan Almighty came in third with $15,143,945 and 1408 came in fourth, making $10,662,804.

Posted on July 2, 2007
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Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Tops the Box Office

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer topped the box office this past weekend, making an estimated $57,400,000. Critics hated it, but fans loved it and showed up in droves for the opening. The per theater take was a very nice $14,498. In second place was Ocean's Thirteen, which made $19,105,000, bringing its take to date to a very healthy $69,810,000. That's great for two weeks out, and you know that one will make a fortune on DVD.

In third place was Universal's Knocked Up, which made another $14,535,000, bringing the romantic comedy's take to date to $90,482,000, which is absolutely stunning for a low budget comedy. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End held on to fourth place, making another $12,024,000. The film's take to date is $273,757,000.

Also debuting this weekend was Nancy Drew starring Julia Roberts' niece Emma Roberts. The WB film earned a disappointing $7,135,000 in 2,612 theaters. Reviews were mixed, with the consensus being that the film was kind of bland. Nothing offensive, but no pep.

Posted on June 18, 2007
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Ocean's 13 Tops Box Office

Ocean's 13 topped the box office this past weekend, making an estimated $37,080,000 in its debut. The Brad Pitt/George Clooney/Andy Garcia/Matt Damon starrer has gotten good reviews and is definitely entertaining summer fare. In second place was Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, which made another $21,316,000 in its third week of release. The film's gross to date is $253,614,000.

In third place was Knocked Up, the romantic comedy from Judd Apatow. The film grossed another $20,017,000 this past weekend. In fourth place was the Sony animated feature Surf's Up, which made $18,000,000 in its debut. In fifth place was Shrek the Third which made $15,750,000, bringing its domestic gross to date to $281,892,000.

Posted on June 11, 2007
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Pirates Still Rule: Knocked Up Is A Hit

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End topped the box office this past weekend, making $43,188,000, which is a big (62.4%) drop from its opening weekend. In second place was Knocked Up starring Katherine Heigl, which made $29,284,000 in an outstanding debut for a comedy. Judd Apatow, who also directed 40 Year Old Virgin is hot, hot, hot in Hollywood now.

In third place was Shrek the Third, which made $26,704,000, bringing its total take to date to $254,611,000. Mr. Brooks, the Demi Moore/Kevin Costner thriller, came in at a disappointing fourth place making $10,020,000. The per theater take was good, however, at $4,084.

In fifth place was Spider-Man 3, which made another $7,500,000, bringing its take to date to $318,264,000.

Posted on June 4, 2007
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Pirates Rule the Memorial Day Weekend Box Office

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End ruled the box office over the Memorial Day weekend, making $139,802,190 over the four day period. In second place was Shrek the Third which made $67,010,012, bringing its total take to date to $217,348,470.

In third place was Spider-Man 3, which took in $18,112,261, bringing its take to date to $307,754,583. Bug, a horror thriller starring Ashley Judd, came in fourth with $4,015,846 on its opening weekend. In fifth place was Waitress, which made $4,005,008, bringing its total take to date to $6,522,396.

Posted on May 29, 2007
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Shrek the Third Tops the Box Office



Shrek the Third ruled the box office this past weekend, making $121,629,270. In second place was Spider-Man 3 which made $29,022,026. In third place was 28 Weeks Later which made $5,454,168 in its second week.

In fourth place was Lindsay Lohan and Jane Fonda's George Rule, which made a miserable $3,745,880 in its second week of release. We think people are looking at it and saying "rental." We look at the reviews and think "not even a rental."

Posted on May 22, 2007
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Spider-Man 3 Still Rules Box Office

Spider-Man 3 ruled the box office this past weekend, making another $60 million. That brings its domestic take to date to $242,071,000.

In second place was Fox's 28 Weeks Later, which opened with $10,000,000. In third place was Georgia Rule, which stars Linsay Lohan, Jane Fonda and Felicity Huffman. The film opened with a disappointing $5,879,000 and did not get great reviews. In fourth place was the Rear Window ripoff, Disturbia, which made another $4,807,000, putting its total take at $66,295,000. Hitchcock still sells, even now.

Posted on May 14, 2007
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Spider-Man 3 Breaks Box Office Records

Spider-Man 3 has broken box office records, making an amazing $148 million in the U.S. alone in its opening weekend. Worldwide, the film brought in $375 million, breaking the records of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Pirates of the Carribean.

In second place was Disturbia, which made $5,720,000 in its fourth week. Fracture came in third making $3,420,000 in its third week of release.

Drew Barrymore's poker romance film, Lucky You, had a dismal opening making only $2,515,000. The film also stars Eric Bana, but it clearly was not the date movie of choice this past weekend. Looks like there's going to be a fourth Spider-Man movie. How could there not be with those box office numbers?

Posted on May 7, 2007
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Disturbia Stays Atop Box Office

Disturbia stayed atop the weekend box office for the third weekend in a row, making an estimated $9,100,000. That puts the film's total take to date at $52,186,000. In second place was the teen ghost story The Invisible, which made $7,606,000.

In third place was Paramount's Next, which stars Nicholas Cage in a paranormal thriller which made $7,200,000. In fourth place was Fracture, which made $7,075,000 in its second week.

The Condemned starring "Stone Cold" Steve Austin as a death row inmate who fights for his freedom in a reality TV competition came in ninth, making $4,000,000 in its opening weekend. Also opening this weekend was the Jamie Kennedy comedy, Kickin It Old School which made a mere $2,800,000.

Altogether, it was a very slow weekend at the box office: that should all change with the opening of Spider-Man 3 this week.

Posted on April 30, 2007
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Disturbia Stays Atop Box Office

Shia LaBeouf and Disturbia ruled the box office for the second week in a row, beating out two suspense/horror newcomers. The film made an estimated $13,460,000. In second place was Fracture starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling. The film made an estiamted $11,175,000. In third place was Blades of Glory, which made another $7,808,000, bringing its total tally to $101,082,000.

In fourth place was Vacancy starring Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale trapped in the hotel from hell. It made a disappointing $7,600,000. In fifth place was Meet the Robinsons which made $7,088,000 in its fourth week of release. Hot Fuzz came in sixth because it played in relatively few theaters. It made $5,837,000, but had an impressive $7,075 per theater average.

Posted on April 23, 2007
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Disturbia Tops the Box Office

Disturbia was tops at the box office this past weekend, making an estimated $23,025,000. The horror flick stars Shia LaBeouf, who has just landed a gig in the new Indiana Jones flick. In second place was Blades of Glory, which made an estimated $14,065,000, bringing its total take to a hefty $90,195,000.

In third place was Meet the Robinsons in its third week, which made $12,103,000 for a total gross to date of $72,004,000. In fourth place was Sony's Perfect Stranger starring Halle Berry and Bruce Willis, which opened with $11,500,000. The numbers were actually better than they looked, with a $4,321 per screen average take.

Sony's comedy Are We Done Yet? came in fifth making $9,200,000. In sixth place was Fox's Pathfinder: Legend of the Ghost Warrior which opened with $4,800,000.

Posted on April 16, 2007
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Grindhouse Flops at the Box Office

Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse absolutely tanked at the box office this past weekend, coming in fourth with a paltry $11,596,613 in revenues. It was a major disappointment for Tarantino, Rodriguez and the Weinstein Brothers. The winner at the box office this past weekend was Will Ferrell's Blades of Glory, which came in first with $22,522,330, bringing its total to $67,905,237.

In second place was Meet the Robinsons, which made $16,715,437. In third place was Are We Done Yet?, which made $14,262,724. Also having a disappointing opening was Hillary Swank's The Reaping, which opened in fourth place with $10,025,203.

Harvey Weinstein is so unhappy with the Grindhouse numbers, that he said he's going to re-release the two films separately later this month, which was the plan for the European market. The fact that Grindhouse is a double feature which runs 3 hours limited the number of theaters it could play in, and Weinstein is hoping that the good reviews and plentiful violence will draw in viewers.

Posted on April 9, 2007
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Blades of Glory Skates to Box Office Victory

Blades of Glory skated to box office gold this past weekend, making an estimated $33,000,000. The Will Ferrell/Jon Heder comedy got positive reviews from critics and fans alike. In second place was Meet the Robinsons, the animated comedy, which made $25,056,000.

In third place was 300, which made another $11,155,000, bringing its total take to date to $179,662,000, on a budget of $65 million. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles came in fourth, making an estimated $9,160,000, for a total to date of $38,428,000. In fifth place was Wild Hogs, which made another $8,389,000, putting its gross to date at $135,355,000 after five weeks of release. Coming in sixth was Shooter, which made $8,000,000, putting its gross at $27,212,000.

Posted on April 2, 2007
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Rule at the Box Office

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ruled the box office this past weekend, making an estimated $25,450,000. Clearly, the fans are still there after all these years. In second place was The 300, which made another estimated $20,510,000, giving it a total take to date of $162,354,000.

In third place was Mark Wahlberg's Shooter, which made an estimated $14,501,000 for Paramount. In fourth place was Wild Hogs, which made an estimated $14,362,000, bringing its total take to date to $123,815,000. Opening in fifth place was The Last Mimzy, which made an estimated $10,200,000.

Opening in sixth place was The Hills Have Eyes 2, which made an estimated $10,000,000. In seventh place was Reign Over Me, which made an estimated $8,000,000 for Sony. The film stars Adam Sandler as a man who lost everything in 9/11, and Don Cheadle is the friend who helps him recover.

Posted on March 26, 2007
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300 Rules the Box Office Once Again

For the second week in a row, 300 ruled the box office, taking in another $32,877,328. That puts the total take so far at a mind-boggling $129,165,656, on a $65 million budget. In second place was Wild Hogs, which made another $19,058,871.

Sandra Bullock's new paranormal thriller, Premonition, opened in third place making $17,558,689. In fourth place was horror flick Dead Silence which made $7,842,725. Also opening last weekend was Chris Rock's I Think I Love My Wife, which came in at fifth place, making $5,674,802. The consensus from critics was that the film was not funny in the least, and that Critics Think They Didn't Love the Film.

Posted on March 19, 2007
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300 Rules the Box Office

The cgi gorefest The 300 easily won the weekend box office this past weekend making $70,885,301. The movie, which is rated R for violence, has a cast of virtual unknowns (although the freaky Persian King Xerxes will be familiar to Lost fans). The film is a based on a comic book fantasy which tells the story of the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C., in which 300 noble Spartans held off the massive Persian army at a mountain pass in Greece for three days. The Iranians are furious about the film, saying it portrays the Persians as sexually deviant, violent and depraved. But since the Iranian censors pretty much object to all Western films, it's hard to get too worked up over their latest denouncements. In any event, the box office numbers were a delightful surprise to Warner Bros.

In second place was Wild Hogs, which made 27,601,291 in its second week of release. In third place was Bridge to Terabithia, which made $6,779,315 in its fourth week of release. Ghost Rider made another $6,670,463 in its fourth week of release, and Zodiac made $6,641,870 in its fourth week of release.

Posted on March 13, 2007
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Wild Hogs Rides Into First Place at the Box Office

Wild Hogs, starring Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macey as men on motorcycles living out a mid-life crisis, was tops at the box office this past weekend. The comedy made an estimated $38,000.000.In second place was Paramount's serial killer mystery, Zodiac, which grossed an unspectacular $13.1 million. In third place was Nicholas Cage in Ghost Rider, which made another $11,500,000, bringing its total so far to $94,757,000.

In fourth place was Bridge to Terabithia, which made another $8,587,000, putting its total at $57,889,000. In fifth place was Jim Carrey's widely panned psychological thriller, 23, which made $7,050,000. Black Snake Moan, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci, debuted at eighth place, making $4,016,000.

Posted on March 5, 2007
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Norbit Rocks the Box Office

Eddie Murphy's new fat suit extravaganza, Norbit, blew out the box office this past weekend making a mind-boggling $34,195,434. In second place was Hannibal Rising, which made $13,051,650. Both films received scathing reviews, which audiences completely ignored.

In third place was Because I Said So with $9,221,130, with The Messengers in fourth with $7,218,187. Night at the Museum came in fifth with $5,754,359, putting the film's total U.S. gross to date at $232,150,355.

Posted on February 12, 2007
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The Messengers Tops the Box Office

Super Bowl weekend is traditionally one of the worse box office weekends of the year, and this year was no exception. In first place was The Messengers, a horror flick where little children see awful things, which made $14,713,321. In second place was the Because I Said So starring Diane Keaton and Mandy Moore, which made $13,122,865, despite absolutely devastatingly bad reviews.

In third place was Epic Movie, a spoof of -- you guessed it, epic movies -- which made $8,411,993. In fourth place was the juggernaut Ben Stiller film, Night at the Museum, which made another $6,385,843, putting its domestic gross to date at $225 million. Does this mean that Dick Van Dyke will get offered more film roles? Because we think Ben Stiller should add him to his brat pack, along with Owen Wilson.

Posted on February 6, 2007
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Night at the Museum Tops Box Office

Night at the Museum topped the recent three-day weekend box office, making $46,700,000 in its second week, bringing its total take so far to $125,755,000. It's a great movie, and we love seeing Dick Van Dyke back on the silver screen.

In second place was Will Smith's The Pursuit of Happyness, making $24,700,000. That brings the film's total take so far to $103,746,000, which is far above the film's $55 million production cost. In third place was Dreamgirls in its fifth week, which made $18,672,000. In fourth place was Charlotte's Web, making $15,050,000, followed by The Good Shepherd, starring Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie, which made $14,251,000 in its second week. Rocky Balboa hangs in there at sixth making another $13,660,000, bringing the film's take so far to $51,132,000.

Posted on January 2, 2007
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Will Smith Tops the Box Office

Will Smith and The Pursuit of Happyness handily won the weekend box office making an estimated $26,541,709, with a surprise win over Charlotte's Web and Eragon. It certainly was a surprise to us, anyway!

Eragon came in second with $23,239,907 and Charlotte's Web came in third with a very disappointing $11,457,353 from 3,566 theaters. Happy Feet came in third, making another $8,358,421 and Cameron Diaz's The Holiday came in fourth with $8,014,713 in its second week of release.

Charlotte's Web's opening weekend performance was subpar for this type of film and way below what many of the animated children's films have been bringing. Which is a shame, because the adaptation really is excellent. It's probable that the film will have legs over the holiday season: as bored children start whining, parents start looking for children's films to amuse them.

Posted on December 18, 2006
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Penguins and Spies Stay Atop Box Office

Happy Feet and Casino Royale continued to dominate the box office this past weekend. Happy Feet came in first for the third week in a row, earning $17,545,418. Casino Royale came in second again, earning $15,112,870, for a total U.S. box office take to date of $115,876,024.

The Denzel Washington thriller Deja Vu came in third with $10,947,752, and The Nativity Story starring Keisha Castle-Hughes came in fourth with $7,849,304. Also opening this weekend were Turistas ($3,582,554) and National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj which opened with a dismal $2,313,372.

We're just waiting for Eragon to come out.

Posted on December 4, 2006
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Dancing Penguins Rule the Box Office Again

The animated film about a dancing penguin, Happy Feet ruled the box office this past weekend, making $37,038,046. That brings the film's total gross to date to $99,256,766. In second place was Casino Royale, $30,785,874, bringing the film's U.S. box office total to $94,053,658.

Denzel Washington's new thriller, Deja Vu, came in third with $20,574,802 and the Christmas comedy Deck the Halls starring Matthew Broderick came in fourth with $12,001,256. The Fountain had a weak opening with $3,768,702.

Posted on November 28, 2006
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James Bond Beaten by Dancing Penguins

Happy Feet, which stars lots of dancing animated penguins, was tops at the box office this past weekend, beating out Casino Royale. Happy Feet made $41,533,432 at 3,804 theaters, with a per theater average of $10,918.

Casino Royale, starring Daniel Craig came in second with $40,833,156 at 3,434 theaters, for a per theater gross of $11,890. In third place was Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, which made $14,602,874. The film so far has made $90,757,366. In fourth place was The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause with $8,302,661 and in fifth place was Will Ferrell's Stranger Than Ficiton with $6,605,197.

So, why did dancing penguins beat James Bond at the box office? We're not sure, because Casino Royale is a great, very entertaining movie. And Daniel Craig makes Bond his own. At the theater we were at on Friday, we saw hordes of harassed-looking parents toting screaming children to see Happy Feet. Maybe they were more interested in entertaining the kids than in seeing an action flick.

Posted on November 20, 2006
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Borat Rules the Box Office Again

For the second week in a row, Borat ruled the box office, making an estimated $29,0000 million, with a very nice $11,301 per screen average. In second place was The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, which made $16,893,000. In third place was Flushed Away, which made an estimated $16,710,000.

Opening this past weekend was the delightful new Will Ferrell/Emma Thompson comedy, Stranger Than Fiction, which came in fifth with an estimated box office of $14,100,000. The film made an impressive $6,227 per theater. We loved this film: Ferrell shows he has both comedic and dramatic talent, and Emma Thompson is hilarious as a neurotic literary author who spends her days figuring out how to kill of her main character. Dustin Hoffman as the literary professor who tries to diagnose Harold Crick's (Ferrell's) problem is also a standout. Is Crick in a comedy? A tragedy? Will he die? It's well-worth seeing the film just to find out.

Posted on November 13, 2006
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Borat Tops the Box Office

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan led the box office this past weekend with an estimated take of $26,375,000. In second place was The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause which made an estimated $20 million. In third place was the other family-friendly film, Flushed Away, which made an estimated $19,100,000.

Saw III made another $15,500,000, bringing its total to $60,077,000. Saw IV is already in the works: expect more fun torture scenes to hit theatres on Halloween, 2007. Martin Scorcese's The Departed came in fifth with an estimated $8 million, bringing its total take to $102,282,000.

And for those of you who are hoping to horrify beachgoers everywhere, you can buy Borat's neon man-thong swimsuit on Ebay.com. There are some articles comparing the Borat character to Mahir Cagri who was famous for his "I Kiss You" homepage. Fortunately, Mahir never wore the neon man-thong.

Posted on November 6, 2006
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Saw III Terrorizes the Box Office

Saw III scared off the competition this past weekend, making a whopping estimated take of $34,300,000. The Departed came in second with an estimated $9,840,000 and The Prestige made an estimated $9,626,000 in its second week.

The new Brad Pitt/Cate Blanchett film, Babel opened in only seven theaters nationwide and made $366,000: that works out to an amazing $52,285 per theater take. Saw III's blockbuster performance was not a surprise really -- it was the weekend before Halloween, after all. But the Babel numbers show that adults are looking for movies to watch -- and they don't want to see Saw I, II, or III.

Posted on October 30, 2006
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The Prestige Takes the Box Office

The Prestige starring Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman and Scarlett Johansson won the box office this past weekend, with an estimated take of $14,818,000. Martin Scorcese's The Departed came in second with an estimated take of $13,675,000. In third place was the World War II story, Flags of our Fathers with an estimated take of $10,200,000. That has to be a disappointing opening weekend for director Clint Eastwood. In fifth place was the girl and her horse story, Flicka, which made an estimated $7,700,000.

Opening in limited release, Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette made $5,300,000. Playing in 859 theaters, the film which stars Jason Schwartzman and Kirsten Dunst made a very nice $6,169 per theater.

Posted on October 23, 2006
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Grudge 2 Tops Box Office

The Grudge 2 won the box office this past weekend with an estimated take of $22,000,000. In second place was The Departed with an estimated box office take of $18,675,000. The Robin Williams comedy, Man of the Year, came in third with an estimated take of $12,550,000.

The Marine came in sixth with $7,000,000, and the Christian-themed film One Night with the King came in ninth with $4,326,000. Overall, grosses for this weekend were up 27% from the same weekend last year.

Posted on October 16, 2006
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Can The Grudge 2 Win the Box Office?

Sarah Michelle Gellar has been hitting all the talk shows to promote this weekend's The Grudge 2. Although Gellar actually isn't in the movie for very long, she's clearly a draw. And Jennifer Beals has a lovely turn as a frustrated housewife. But this time Amber Tamblyn (of the cancelled Joan of Arcadia) is the star who has a date with the house from hell. And speaking of Joan of Arcadia, we really liked that show until the second season when it totally jumped the shark. Why did the writers put Joan in the mental ward? That infuriated us. But back to the The Grudge 2: we think it has a chance of winning the box office this weekend. Although the reviews have been absolutely horrendous.

Scorcese's The Departed has been holding strong all week and may have excellent box office numbers. Also opening this weekend is the Robin Williams comedy, Man of the Year, and The Marine starring John Cena, which is produced by the WWE. Wrestling fans could give this one good numbers. It's an odd weekend for movies, that's all we can say.

Posted on October 13, 2006
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Scorcese Hits Number One

Martin Scorcese's The Departed ruled the box office this weekend, easily beating off the competition with an estimated take of $27 million. The film is a remake of the Hong Kong movie Infernal Affairs. In second place was the wholly unecessary prequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, which made an estimated $19,150,000.

Jessica Simpson and Dane Cook failed to ignite box office magic with their romantic comedy, Employee of the Month which made an estimated $11,800,000. Sony's Open Season came in fourth, making another $16,000,000, for a total box office take so far of $44,129,000 (it cost $88 million to make), but will no doubt do very well on DVD like most animated films.

In fifth place was The Guardian which is in its second week and has made a total of $32,394,000.

Posted on October 9, 2006
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