We Have “Hivo,” But It’s a Disease. It’s a Horrible, Horrible Disease.
Box-Office Round-Up / Dustin Rowles
Trade News | November 12, 2007 | Comments ()
5. Dan in Real Life: Steve Carell’s latest is quietly hanging around the top five, and after three weeks, I’ve run out of things to say about it. But, did you see last week’s “The Office”? Written by Carell himself, it was the only Thursday night offering that managed to use that obnoxious green theme effectively. I’m all for saving the environment, but after David Schwimmer’s painful turn on “30 Rock” (and Al Gore’s kind of cool / kind of embarrassing cameo), I turned on all the lights in my house and burned some tires in protest. (Weekend: $6 million; Total: $31 million).
4. Lions for Lambs: Although the Tom Cruise flick was a huge disappointment at the box-office, Ranylt’s review ignited a shitstorm in the comments section over the weekend. And it wasn’t about misogynistic language or Tyler Perry. Uh uh. It was an old school Pajiba bitchfest about whether it was advisable to use polysyllabic language in critic’s reviews, and “pretentious” was thrown around like a four-letter word. And, as always, pasadenamike was the voice of reason. I don’t mind saying I felt no small amount of nostalgia. Thanks for the warm fuzzies, y’all. Total: $7 million.
3. Fred Claus: Debuting weakly, Fred Claus was so horrid, I understand that several Salvation Army Santas standing outside of suburban multiplexes had their bells shoved into various orifices and, in several instances, theatergoers pilfered refunds from their change buckets. Santa Claus himself, fearing for his own safety, is considering cancelling the holiday this year, or else sending elves down the chimneys first to check for bear traps. Absolutely not fun fact: Tim Allen has starred in four of the top seven Christmas movies since 1980. Unbelievably, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is the top Christmas-themed grosser of all time. I’ll give you a moment to collect yourself. Total: $19 million.
2. American Gangster: For the record, what I meant in last week’s box-office round-up is that “urban audiences” sounds like a way that white people who are uncomfortable with race would refer to black audiences, and I found it odd that NPR — that bastion of liberal enlightenment — would use the word. Nevertheless, Gangster had a 44 percent drop-off from its opening weekend, but still managed to pull in another $24 million. I also read over the weekend, in the UK’s Times Online, that Ridley Scott’s “striking and emphatic style may have had more impact on how we interpret the world visually than the work of any film-maker alive. There is even an argument to be made for him as the most influential feminist director.” Chew on that, y’all. But don’t swallow; you may just choke to death. Weekend: $24 million; Total: $80 million.
1. Bee Movie: Jerry Seinfeld’s ode to Apis mellifera raked in just over $25 million over the weekend, jumping a spot to lead this week’s box-office pack. In its second week of release, Bee Movie becomes the 28th biggest computer-animation film of all-time. And, if you thought that Tim Allen being in four of the top seven Christmas movies since 1980 was depressing, how about this: The Shrek franchise holds three out of the four top spots among computer animation films (Finding Nemo is number two). Weekend: $26 million; Total: $72 million.
* Other Notables: P2 failed to generate giallo fever in America, and, as Phillip noted, Wes Bentley’s career continues its decline into thbbbbbt territory. Elsewhere, in extremely limited release, the Coen’s latest, No Country for Old Men put up a spectacular $42,000 per theater (seven times more, per theater, than Bee Movie). Dan will have his review up later today.
And speaking of Shrek, the third installment is out on DVD this week, as well as Amazing Grace, This is England and La Vie en Rose.
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