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Bad Moon Rising

The Weekend Box-Office Round-Up / William Goss

Box Office Round-Ups | November 22, 2009 | Comments (40)

The second film based on the Twilight series of novels, New Moon, opened to $140 million with the third highest-grossing opening weekend ever. Truth be told, I’ve just about exhausted my sarcasm stores elsewhere for this pallid little franchise, and since you guys and girls are doing such a terrific job keeping the hater levels high with your comments on Dustin’s review, I suggest that you keep it up over there.

The Blind Side opened in second place with $34.5 million, just slightly more than The Proposal opened to this summer and just slightly more than All About Steve earned in its entire run this fall. Like it or not, Sandra Bullock is back in the good graces of the masses, and with any luck, her next flick could combine rom-com wackiness AND mawkish multi-cultural sentiment. Maybe they could even work the word “Twilight” into the title somehow …

2012 dropped two spots and a good sixty percent from last weekend, but between $26.5 million in third place and a worldwide gross approaching $450 million, I sure as shit ain’t weeping for it. Fresh kiddie offering Planet 51 landed in fourth with $12.6 million, while A Christmas Carol stuck around in fifth with $12.2 million; I suspect that both films and the world at large will suffer from next week’s release of Old Dogs.

Sixth place went to Precious: Because Oprah Needs Your Money Now To Make Up for Her Show Ending Eventually with $11 million, seventh place went to The Men Who Stare at Goats with $2.8 million, eighth place went to Couples Retreat with $2 million, ninth went to The Fourth Kind with $1.7 million and tenth went to Law Abiding Citizen with $1.6 million.

And can I just mention how I can’t wait for Werner Herzog’s Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans to go wider? Pals who caught it on this weekend’s 27 screens are positively abuzz about Nic Cage’s reportedly gonzo performance, and frankly, New Moon just doesn’t have enough lucky crack pipes in it to compare. (Our Bad Lieutenant review will post on Tuesday.)


← Pajiba After Dark 11/22/09 | Under the Dome by Stephen King →





Comments

Surprised? No.
Ashamed that the majority of my friends contributed? Absolutely.

Posted by: Manda90210 at November 22, 2009 8:49 PM

Don't forget that New Moon now holds the record for highest gross in a single day AND the highest midnight screening takings EVER. I guess the tweens just couldn't wait one more second for a fresh dose of hot Bella/Edward non-action and rushed the theater en masse on friday. Not to mention the huge spike in sales compared to the first movie. If things continue at their present rate, by the time the fourth movie for this series comes out, Twilight will hold all the modern day box office records in its cold, poorly written hands, and nothing will come close to beating it until Nolan gets around to finishing the inevitable batman trilogy, rightfully turning all the vampire records into bats.

Posted by: Rar at November 22, 2009 8:58 PM

Is there a review of "Fantastic Mr. Fox" coming soon?

Posted by: Doric at November 22, 2009 9:04 PM

i saw those figures earlier. fucking ridiculous.

Posted by: gp at November 22, 2009 9:30 PM

I NEED to see "Bad Lieutenant." My life is not complete without imaginary iguanas and coked-out, crazy Cage.

Posted by: Fredo at November 22, 2009 9:31 PM

Oh great, just what we need, more Sandra Bullock.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at November 22, 2009 9:47 PM

I want to share with y'all a very sad story. So, if I may....I was looking up the times for Fantastic Mr. Fox, seeing if they had them up yet just out of curiosity. There's two theaters around where I live, so I check the first and they don't have them yet and then I check the "better because it's kinda out of the way, so those damn youngsters don't bother you about trying to get your booze" theater. They don't have them up yet either, but my curiosity is piqued when I see that they have a schedule for a Thursday coming up-so I click to see what sort of midnight screening they're showing. No, it's not a midnight screening it's instead a 7:00 showing of "Glenn Beck's Christmas Sweater: A Return to Redemption LIVE". Live with that Pajiba! Because while everyone is worried about the affect that Twilight will have on the impressionable kids shouldn't we really be worried about the effect that Glenn Beck will have on their parents? MY GOD MAN! THINK OF THE PARENTS!

Posted by: Jasper Buckleman at November 22, 2009 10:43 PM

When do the good movies come out?

Posted by: Daniel Hall at November 22, 2009 10:44 PM

no wonder obama hates the U.S.A

Posted by: pasadenamike at November 22, 2009 10:46 PM

Wait, what?

WHY DIDN'T YOU PUT UP A SPOILER ALERT, YOU DEGENERATE?!

This guy, this guy here--he says nothing about his secret family in Moldova, but now he's exposing everything like it's Fleet Week at the Simmons Crypt--this guy here.

Pfft. Assassin.

Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at November 22, 2009 11:01 PM

Fear not. Soon the swelling tide of fervent Twihards will reach a tipping point, and a massive backlash amongst the formerly faithful will occur. These kiddies are gonna turn themselves inside out faster than you can say "Zach Braff".

Posted by: Pancakes! at November 22, 2009 11:21 PM

Wow. Ok, trivia question, what's more irritating than people who talk bout Twilight shit all the time because they like it...

Posted by: laredo at November 22, 2009 11:50 PM

Okay Thursday night I went and saw 2012, and I saw all these people hanging out at the movie theater, and I couldn't figure out why. Then on Saturday I was hanging out with my 15 year old niece and she wanted to go to the movies and see New Moon, it was then that I realized why all those people were at the theater Thursday night.

I'm sorry to say I took her to see New Moon, I think I a) fell asleep at some point, and b) rewrote the movie when I was awake. Because when we left the movie theater and she was talking to me about the movie, the movie she was describing wasn't the movie I saw.

Posted by: DoubleH at November 23, 2009 12:04 AM

The second film based on the Twilight series of novels, New Moon, opened to $140 million with the third highest-grossing opening weekend ever.

I knew it would be high, but this just isn't fair. There aren't a whole lot of things that could sicken me more than 140 fucking million dollars going to Twilight.

Posted by: George at November 23, 2009 12:31 AM

I was guessing 100 million + change, but jesus, that makes me sick. People gotta escape reality I guess.

Posted by: Mick J at November 23, 2009 12:48 AM

Now I realise that this isn't the done thing on Pajiba but I went to see New Moon this weekend and I'm not even particularly ashamed by that. So it's not a great film but there are a lot of films out there much worse and I'll happily admit I enjoyed watching it. I'll probably never watch it again but I enjoyed it in a vague sort of way once through.

The screaming masses were ridiculous and I have never been in a cinema audience quite like it but you know, that's how it is. I know a lot of people on here get off on being bitter and anti-establishment but Twilight was obviously going to make a huge amount of money. Why not go and see a good film and enjoy that than moan about an inevitability.

As a librarian, I've been spending the last weeks foisting Twilight books on children. They may not be the best written books, in fact, they're nowhere near. I hate them personally. But it has got girls reading like nothing since Harry Potter and when they enjoy Twilight and come to return it, I can suggest something more worthwhile. Now they're all reading the True Blood books - find some good in the naffness of Twilight, subtle subversion rather than just moaning about something you can't change.

I know you all enjoy the moaning though, but that's my two-pennyness worth anyhow.

Posted by: sevenstories at November 23, 2009 5:50 AM

Oh, everyone on Pajiba enjoys a good moan or two, that's for sure.

Posted by: Mrcreosote at November 23, 2009 6:20 AM

Is it me or does "bella" look like a dude in drag in that pic?

Do we actually have some corroboration that this thing is female?

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at November 23, 2009 7:10 AM

because twilight hit the 140 million mark I would expect most tweens are exhausted today after working hard all weekend doing extra chores to "earn" their allowances to see it, right?

Also, somebody had to be supervising them when they broke the midnight screening gross, so does twilight have a secret adult following?

I just can't wait for news on the Addams Family remake, or a little mosters remake ("wolfman's gots nards") or a new dracula film, or another tv series based on vampires/monsters/werewolves/ghosts/magic, cause their just isn't enough exposure right now and you gotta strike while the irons hot, dwait up!

BSlim, as far as i can tell, their going on the basis that their lead female is more masculine than their lead male and vice versa, I think in the 3rd installment there's a shower scene where we get to see her penis!

Posted by: grooldog at November 23, 2009 9:35 AM

Ok, I'm always lurking and have never before been motivated enough to comment, but I CAN NOT allow someone in a thread mainly about Twilight of all things, to confuse "Little Monsters" with the "Monster Squad". Ain't no Fred Savage in MY favorite movie!

.. except on the days when my favorite movie is The Princess Bride. Shh!

Posted by: Mikey Likes It at November 23, 2009 10:26 AM

I think in the 3rd installment there's a shower scene where we get to see her penis!
-------------------------------------------------
Well, I for one can't wait. It might even be worth the midnight showing, no? You Hermaphrodite vampire kids with you're fangs and werewolves and sprkly eye shadow and your sticker book collections and lead female penis'...

Posted by: John Denver's Wingman at November 23, 2009 10:37 AM

I don't have a problem with the hordes of 13 and 14 year olds dying to see this. They're still young and their hormone addled brains don't know the difference, (or it does and they are helpless to resist their hormone addled bodies) as long as they grow up to know this is smut, then we're golden. The problem I have? The hordes of ridiculous women. WOMEN! Grown ass women tripping over themselves to see this shit. I have a hard time believing you know the difference when you and 5 of your 30+ friends spent two hours in line Friday night so you could see this, not one of your daughters in sight. For shame.

K, I'm gettin' down now.

Posted by: Eyvi at November 23, 2009 10:41 AM

This fills me with despair. And oh God they're gonna keep making more and every year it'll be the same until I want to kill myself AND I AM TOO YOUNG TO DIE.

Posted by: figgy at November 23, 2009 11:20 AM

Sevenstories, if those girls are looking for YA fantasy, try recommending The Mortal Instruments series (which also has a sort of creepy mom following but wev) by Cassandra Clare. It may not be great literature, but the heroine is not an idiot and there is actual plot (!) beyond "ooh, cute, dangerous boy!" I also suggest steering them toward the new crop of books concerning the fey - Maggie Stiefvater has two good YA books in which the characters are three-dimensional and Melissa Marr's series is downright dark. So is Holly Black's. Faerie is the new vampires, y'all. In a few years, we'll be bitching about that, but at least the source material won't suck. If they insist on vampire books, you could do worse than the House of Night, which is teen vampire soap opera, but better written and with plot and character development (some, anyway).

Posted by: Reba at November 23, 2009 11:33 AM

I can actually hear them rewriting the "Dark Shadows" movie to insert glitter and mope.

Posted by: , (just , cause I'm tired of typing that other shit) at November 23, 2009 11:36 AM

Also...I knew it was bound to make a lot of money, but from all accounts (real fans, ironic fans, weirdos, etc) this is by far the worst book in the series. I watched Twilight and cracked the hell up throughout the entire thing, but as far as I can tell this one's just flat-out BORING.

I don't really know where I'm going with this. Except to say that by the time the movie with the baby eating his mother and that shit comes out, I want to go watch it and I'll help break the records and I will hate myself.

Posted by: figgy at November 23, 2009 11:37 AM

The problem I have? The hordes of ridiculous women. WOMEN! Grown ass women tripping over themselves to see this shit.

YES. EXACTLY. This is what scares me the most out of this madness. These are the people who defend Twilight most fiercely. Look at any twilight forum and among the silly tweens who you really can't blame for loving the sparklepire there's the grown-ass women saying how it's so romantic and perfect and WOMAN. IT IS NOT AIMED AT YOU. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU AND YOU MUST SEE THIS.

It's scary. I have like two or three 40 year old friends who LOVE the shit out of these books. Who take them seriously and buy the DVDs and watch them just about every other day. IT IS NOT RIGHT.

Posted by: figgy at November 23, 2009 11:58 AM

figgy,

Are these friends Murkins or Hondurans? Whether you're making the right move or the very very wrong one depends on your answer.

Posted by: , (just , cause I'm tired of typing that other shit) at November 23, 2009 12:01 PM

so, Old Dogs, from what I can tell from the preview...

Robin Williams and John Travolta's characters are a long-term gay couple, right? And Seth Green is their aging, but still fuckable houseboy?

Sort of like The Birdcage II: The Quickening.

Posted by: Drake at November 23, 2009 12:22 PM

They're from all over. A couple of Americans, one Honduran (who has NEVER cracked open another book and suddenly considers herself a great reader because she's read this series and can name Wuthering Heights when asked for another book), and the other is an Australian woman--a single mom with a teenage daughter. She bought three copies of the DVD. THREE.

Posted by: figgy at November 23, 2009 12:25 PM

It just proves that tweens and their moms aren't afraid to spend their money and that blockbusters don't have to cater to fanboys.

Posted by: wsapnin at November 23, 2009 1:34 PM

figgy,

Here's wishing you better friends.

XOXOXOXOXOX

Posted by: , (just , cause I'm tired of typing that other shit) at November 23, 2009 1:54 PM

@Drake

so, Old Dogs, from what I can tell from the preview...

Robin Williams and John Travolta's characters are a long-term gay couple, right? And Seth Green is their aging, but still fuckable houseboy?

Sort of like The Birdcage II: The Quickening.

You seriously just made my week with that comment. I've only seen the commercials on TV but that is exactly how I would describe it.

Seth Green, why do you hurt me? I love you. I'd love you even though you're teeny tiny short. I'm short - shorter than you. You were Oz, for fuck's sake!!! You fell in love with Willow even though she was wearing an Eskimo costume. Please stop being in bad movies. Please.

Posted by: MM at November 23, 2009 2:00 PM

Yeah. I don't give a damn if it makes me look like a snob, I tell them to their faces how terrible the books are. I take that shit personally.

Posted by: figgy at November 23, 2009 3:06 PM

My bad Mikey likes it, it was early and I was confused. I would never in my right mind mix those 2 movies up, damn nyquil hangovers, please accept my deepest apologies!

I'm going to see the new twilight now to punish myself, arrrgghh!

Posted by: grooldog at November 23, 2009 3:16 PM

Just read that Twilight is being used to sell heroine in NY. Not that heroine really needs to market itself beyond being heroine, but still, how bat shit crazy is that? The last thing the world needs is Twihards with a rampant smack addiction.

Posted by: Morgan LaFai at November 23, 2009 7:42 PM

I'm hardly aged, but:

Don't lose hope, George. One day, after putting in a certain amount of time in the often demon-soaked den of the damned that is adulthood, you'll laugh at this youthful righteous indignation...and then you'll cry. You won't even know (or be able to feel) the difference, but it's okay because most of the people with whom you'll have to share your time won't give a shit. Is it because they're evil? Some. Is it because they have rickets? Not likely. Is it because they watched a movie that one time, and as a result are too bourgeois to be able empathize with your agitation? Nope. There's a very good shot they're thinking many of the same things.

Anyway, I hope it doesn't sound like I'm attacking you or speechifying. I just figure that you might as well get the advice from a well-intentioned adult rather than less sympathetic ones. You seem like a smart kid, but you are still a kid and it's always prudent to be mindful of the fact that adulthood doesn't just happen. It takes work--it takes extremely hard work, and damning the entire population for not acquiescing with your tastes is what rabid idealists (kids) do. If you go looking for fights all day, your nights are going to be wasted on icing your wounds, because I've never met the person who says 'Yeah, I'm by far the stupidest person I know, so berate me better.' Y'see? We've been doing paperwork and paying bills all day, we've gotta catch our breaths.

Return to you regularly-scheduled hater-i-zing.

Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at November 23, 2009 8:11 PM

My bad Mikey likes it, it was early and I was confused. I would never in my right mind mix those 2 movies up, damn nyquil hangovers, please accept my deepest apologies!
I'm going to see the new twilight now to punish myself, arrrgghh!

Well, I mean, I was upset, but you don't need to go THAT far. That's like not only crying over spilt milk, but dicing up your genitalia over spilt milk!

Posted by: Mikey Likes It at November 23, 2009 9:06 PM

That picture makes me want to BARF. Enough already.

Posted by: Corntree at November 24, 2009 1:40 AM

@MM:

You fell in love with Willow even though she was wearing an Eskimo costume.

Actually, I think he fell in love with Willow because she was wearing an Eskimo costume. :)

Posted by: Corntree at November 24, 2009 4:50 PM





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