ALLIGATORS IN A HELICOPTER

a pro script reader ponders movies, reading, writing and the occasional personal flashback

Friday, March 07, 2008

Weekend Box Office #74

This weekend's offerings:

10,000 BC (3410 theaters). This is supposed to be a little silly but ultimately solid dumb adventure fun, and given the lack of much else out there, it'll probably do well. $37.9 million for the weekend.

COLLEGE ROAD TRIP (2706 theaters). Martin Lawrence fatigue is already starting to set in, and it's only March. It'll get some kids, but hard to see this being a big hit. $8.8 million.

THE BANK JOB (1603 theaters). Reviews have been solid, but it's on less than half the screens of 10,000 BC. Call it $7.4 million.

MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY (535 theaters). This seems to skew old and female; I'm not sure how big that audience really is. $1.8 million.

15 Comments:

At 9:13 AM, Blogger Christina said...

Miss Pettigrew is the type of film I'd only see if like 10 people I know recommended it. Because right now - and I've seen the trailer - it's a head scratcher to me how it ever got made.

 
At 10:00 AM, Blogger LHOOQtius ov Borg said...

How it ever got made is fairly obvious to me. The budget isn't yet published on IMDbPro or BoxOfficeMojo, but I'll hazard a guess that Miss Pettigrew got made because it cost essentially nothing to make (i.e. around $5-10M) and is all but guaranteed to make money when it's shown on Lifetime and DVD -- but Frances McDormand is a good enough actress that they're willing to give it a shot at Oscar contention with a theatrical release rather than going straight to TV.

There aren't a lot of roles kicking around for a 50 year old actress, no matter how talented she is. This sort of "nobody saw it but SAG members kicked up an Oscar buzz about it anyway" fare is often their last refuge. The chances of that buzz happening with a March release, however, seem fairly slight.

It looks like the sort of film that would kill me with boredom, but I have an big reserve of goodwill towards Frances McDormand from Fargo and other earlier films, so I might check it out on DVD. Perhaps that is all Focus is really hoping for.

 
At 11:05 AM, Blogger aggiebrett said...

"A little silly"?

EVERY review I have seen on 10kBC has howled about how aggressively anti-intelligent it is-- that in order to endure the damned thing you have to un-learn or un-know a lot of pretty basic history.

"APOCALYPTO for IDIOTS" is how one critic friend tabbed it.

I can;t wait to NOT see this one over and over and over again.

.
.
B

 
At 11:50 AM, Blogger Emily Blake said...

No matter. 10,000 BC will make the most money this weekend. I know I'm usually wrong but I feel pretty sure about it this time.

 
At 2:29 PM, Blogger Tavis said...

Christina--

There are a few people around the office that are excited about Miss Pettigrew-- but only because they loved the book. Certainly not something I'd rush out and see, but hopefully it will do decent business.


Brett--

I'm with you on that one! I've already not seen several showings of 10,000 B.C. today!

 
At 6:41 PM, Blogger E.C. Henry said...

Geeked about "10,000 BC" JUST to see how it compares to a spec I wrote recently that COULD be compared to it...

Would only see "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" to see Amy Adams. Gosh, was she ever radiant in "Enchanted."

Love to all. Hope everyone has a great weekend and gets in lot of movies over the weekend. I'm hoping to see "10,000 BC" and "Semi-pro" after (hopefully writing a good 20-30 pages on the latest rom-com) as a Sunday, double bill matinee.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

 
At 9:23 PM, Blogger scottycwilliam said...

I see the trailer for College Road Trip practically every time I turn on the TV. I fear that it'll do well. Especially with the lack of competition this weekend.

I'm looking forward to watching Funny Games.

I still haven't seen APOCALYPTO. Is it worth renting?

 
At 7:41 AM, Blogger Christina said...

Miss Pettigrew just received a stellar review in the Chronicle.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/07/DDO2VDT1L.DTL

Director Bharat Nalluri gives "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" the patina of a film actually made in the 1930s, when audiences couldn't get enough of the lifestyles of the rich. The movie has a lightness and smoothness to it - like one of Delysia's satin gowns.

Ha Ha. So I guess jokes on me, because after reading the review, I'll probably go see it.

 
At 12:03 PM, Blogger Patrick J. Rodio said...

College Road - 25 mil - It's like RV, but rated G.

10000 BC - I think this looks dope. As in dopey. EC - If you're script is close to this one, pack in in, buddy.

 
At 12:05 PM, Blogger Patrick J. Rodio said...

Damn typos. Now the joke ain't funny. It was supposed to read "pack it in."

 
At 12:43 PM, Blogger JUST ME said...

I've always wanted to know what life was like for cavemen.

But you know, I don't think 3000 BC is going to shine any light on the matter.

I'm sure lots of hot people will be half-naked, though.

 
At 12:44 PM, Blogger JUST ME said...

Oh really, 10,000 BC?

...I was only off by a few thousand.

 
At 4:55 PM, Blogger E.C. Henry said...

Rodio,

Just saw "10,000 BC," and you're right it isn't very good. Basic boy chases stollen flick with very few thrills along they way. Lot of groans of disappointment in the multiplex at the end of this one. To bad, cause the timeline and all the ways a good writer could go with that could have been interesting. In my humble opinion, "10,000 B.C." is one of those shows that need more writers to take a pass at it and add things to it.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

 
At 9:38 PM, Blogger Patrick J. Rodio said...

Yeah, that suks EC. Prettie much what I herd.

You mentioned that it probably needed MORE writers to take a pass at it. How about this - Maybe ONE good writer?

 
At 9:41 PM, Blogger Christina said...

Hey Patrick, You know what? Your a jurk.

 

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