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10 articles from 2006

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'Inside Man' Spikes the Box Office

28 March 2006 | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »

The Spike Lee crime drama Inside Man, starring Denzel Washington, took in $29 million in its weekend debut, easily taking the top spot at the box office. No other film was close. Last week's top film, V for Vendetta, plummeted 52 percent to wind up with $12.3 million. The film, which many analysts had predicted would become a huge hit, actually earned less on a per-theater basis than the cheap horror flick Stay Alive, which launched with $10.7 million. (Alive took in $5,339 per theater; Vendetta, $3,667.) Another new film, Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector, tanked with just $6.9 million. Overall, the box office recorded $97.8 million in ticket sales, up 9.4 percent from the comparable weekend last year. The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Inside Man, Universal, $28,954,945, (New); 2. V For Vendetta, Warner Bros. $12,338,402, 2 Wks. ($46,205,949); 3. Stay Alive, Disney, $10,726,406, (New); 4. Failure to Launch, Paramount, $10,462,474, 3 Wks. ($63,537,895); 5. The Shaggy Dog, Disney, $9,035,928, 3 Wks. ($47,823,278); 6. She's the Man, DreamWorks, $7,296,562, 2 Wks. ($20,344,197); 7. Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector, Lions Gate, $6,922,767, (New); 8. The Hills Have Eyes, Fox Searchlight, $4,386,566, 3 Wks. ($35,717,166); 9. Eight Below, Disney, $2,718,343, 6 Wks. ($77,137,940); 10. 16 Blocks, Warner Bros. $2,160,379, 4 Wks. ($34,004,226). »

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'Inside Man' Is Topside

27 March 2006 | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »

Inside Man not only garnered the best reviews of any film released this year, it also came close to rolling up the best box-office results. The Spike Lee film, starring Denzel Washington, earned an estimated $29 million, just behind the $30 million posted for Madea's Family Reunion last month. Two other new films -- which were not screened for critics -- registered so-so results. The horror flick Stay Alive debuted with $11.2 million, somewhat better than most analysts had predicted, and Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector took in $7.1 million, somewhat worse than most analysts had predicted. Meanwhile, in its second week, V for Vendetta got an F, as its gross fell 52 percent to $12.3 million. The film, which several analysts predicted would become the first big blockbuster of the year, grossed only $12.3 million to bring its total to $46.2 million. Nevertheless, with the top 12 movies grossing, $98.9 million, the box office was able to break out of its latest slump; the figure was up 10.6 percent from the comparable weekend a year ago. The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Inside Man, $29 million; 2. V for Vendetta, $12.3 million; 3. Stay Alive, $11.2 million; 4. Failure to Launch, $10.8 million; 5. The Shaggy Dog, $9.1 million; 6. She's the Man, $7.4 million; 7. Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector, $7.05 million; 8. The Hills Have Eyes, $4.25 million; 9. Eight Below, $2.7 million; 10. 16 Blocks, $2.2 million. »

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'Vendetta' Is No Slam Dunk

21 March 2006 | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »

Although some analysts had forecast that Warner Bros.' V for Vendetta would reinvigorate the box office and become the first big blockbuster of 2006, the movie took in just $25.6 million, even less than what studio estimates had indicated on Sunday. Indeed the overall box office itself produced dismal returns -- some 10 percent below those for the comparable weekend a year ago. Most analysts blamed competition from "March Madness" -- TV's coverage of the NCAA basketball tournament. But Paramount's She's the Man, which was released to attract women with little interest in the basketball tourney, produced absolutely dreary results, winding up in fourth place with $10.7 million. Last week's box-office winner, Failure to Launch, held up pretty well as it earned $15.6 million and slipped into second place. The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. V for Vendetta, Warner Bros., $25,642,640, (New); 2. Failure to Launch, Paramount, $15,604,892, 2 Wks. ($48,273,823); 3. The Shaggy Dog, Disney, $13,377,363, 2 Wks. ($35,635,419); 4. She's the Man, Paramount, $10,730,372, (New); 5. The Hills Have Eyes, Fox Searchlight, $8,008,822, 2 Wks. ($28,741,291); 6. 16 Blocks, Warner Bros., $4,755,012, 3 Wks. ($30,190,041); 7. Eight Below, Disney, $4,084,276, 5 Wks. ($73,040,379); 8. Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, Lionsgate, $2,933,815, 4 Wks. ($60,029,631); 9. The Pink Panther, Sony, $2,464,468, 6 Wks. ($78,575,414); 10. Aquamarine, 20th Century Fox, $2,114,445, 3 Wks. ($15,778,293). »

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It's 'V' for Victory

20 March 2006 | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »

While some box office analysts were predicting that Warner Bros.' V for Vendetta would emerge as the first big blockbuster of the year, it opened instead with an estimated $26.1 million -- a V for valiant effort, but hardly explosive. The film, written and produced by the Wachowski brothers, took in about $2 million less than their original Matrix did in 2000 and was the fourth-highest opening of the year. Overall, the box office was down 9 percent from the comparable week a year ago. Warner Bros. distribution chief Dan Fellman attributed the failure of the movie to open with big numbers to competition from college basketball's "March Madness." The counterprogrammed film She's the Man, aimed at female audiences, debuted in fourth place with $11 million. Paramount's Failure to Launch, last week's box-office champ, slipped to second place with about $15.8 million, to bring its total to $48.5 million. Meanwhile, opening in limited release, the satire Thank You for Smoking posted a banner $260,000 in five theaters in New York, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. But the Sidney Lumet-directed Find Me Guilty was unable to find an audience as it opened with just $628,000 in 439 theaters. The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. V for Vendetta, $26.1 million; 2. Failure to Launch, $15.8 million; 3. The Shaggy Dog, $13.6 million; 4. She's the Man, $11 million; 5. The Hills Have Eyes, $8.1 million; 6. 16 Blocks, $4.7 million; 7. Eight Below, $4.2 million; 8. Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, $3 million; 9. The Pink Panther, $2.5 million; 10. Aquamarine, $2 million. »

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Box Office Confounds Analysts

14 March 2006 | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »

Analysts were left scratching their heads Monday as weekend box office figures showed Paramount's Failure to Launch topping the list with $24.4 million -- well above of forecasts -- while Disney's The Shaggy Dog came in second with $16.3 million, well below forecasts. Steven Mallas of the financial website Motley Fool said about the Shaggy results: "It's certainly not an abject miss, but I can't quite call The Shaggy Dog a bona fide hit. It could go on to become a sleeper, but I was nevertheless looking for a bigger bark at the box office." One other newcomer performed about as expected, coming in at No. 3. The horror film The Hills Have Eyes from Fox Searchlight took in $15.7 million In fourth place, the second week of Warner Bros.' 16 Blocks settled for $7.4 million, while the fifth spot was held by Lionsgate's Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, which had held the lead during the previous two weeks. It drew $5.7 million. The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Failure to Launch, Paramount, $24,411,322, (New); 2. The Shaggy Dog, Disney, $16,310,058, (New); 3. The Hills Have Eyes, Fox Searchlight, $15,708,512, (New); 4. 16 Blocks, Warner Bros., $7,411,016, 2 Wks. ($22,808,568); 5. Madea's Family Reunion, Lionsgate, $5,749,355, 3 Wks. ($55,703,144); 6. Eight Below, Disney, $5,552,540, 4 Wks. ($66,564,664); 7. Aquamarine, 20th Century Fox, $3,858,072, 2 Wks. ($12,373,367); 8. Ultraviolet, Sony, $3,681,448, 2 Wks. ($14,832,858); 9. The Pink Panther, Sony, $3,650,306, 5 Wks. ($74,653,310); 10. Date Movie, 20th Century Fox, $2,525,111, 4 Wks. ($44,289,381). »

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No Failure for This 'Launch'

13 March 2006 | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »

Paramount's Failure to Launch was anything but a failure as it launched this weekend with an estimated $24.6 million in ticket sales. Results were considerably above the predictions of analysts, who apparently failed to take into account the strong popularity of the film's star, Matthew McConaughey, among women 25 years old and older, who accounted for two-thirds of the audience. Disney's The Shaggy Dog, starring Tim Allen, debuted in second place with about $16 million. Another newcomer, the horror film The Hills Have Eyes, was close behind with $15.5 million. Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, which had held the top spot during the previous two weeks, dropped to fifth place with $5.8 million, bringing the total gross of the film to $55.8 million. Overall, the box office was down 10.7 percent from the comparable weekend a year ago to $92.4 million. Lionsgate also returned Oscar winner Crash to about 150 theaters over the weekend, where it took in an insignificant $330,000. It is already out on DVD. Of the other best-picture nominees, Brokeback Mountain performed the best, taking in $1.25 million, to bring its gross to $81 million. Capote was close behind with $1.2 million.The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Failure to Launch, $24.6 million; 2. The Shaggy Dog, $16 million; 3.The Hills Have Eyes, $15.5 million; 4. 16 Blocks, $7.3 million; 5. Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, $5.8 million; 6. Eight Below, $5.4 million; 7. Aquamarine, $3.65 million; 8 (tie). The Pink Panther, $3.6 million; 8 (tie). Ultraviolet, $3.6 million; 10. Date Movie, $2.5 million. »

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'Madea' No. 1 Again

7 March 2006 | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »

Despite competition from four new films, Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion remained in first place for the second weekend in a row, taking in $12.6 million and bringing its gross to $48 million, according to final box office figures. (The film cost $6 million to make.) Richard Prince, who writes the "Journal-isms" column for the Maynard College website, noted that the victory was achieved "by and large without benefit of the 'mainstream media,' which mostly didn't seem to get what was happening" -- that is, a huge turnout of "hardworking, Christian black women." Prince quoted Marcia Davis, who wrote in the Washington Post that the simple plots in Perry's plays "have power in the way they resonate with the fault lines of modern-day African-American life." The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Madea's Family Reunion, Lions Gate, $12,648,954, 2 Wks. ($47,748,243); 2. 16 Blocks, Warner Bros., $11,855,260, (New); 3. Eight Below, Disney, $10,137,068, 3 Wks. ($58,636,373); 4. Ultraviolet, Sony, $9,064,880, (New); 5. Aquamarine, 20th Century Fox, $7,482,669, (New); 6. The Pink Panther, Sony, $6,883,674, 4 Wks. ($69,668,601); 7. Dave Chappelle's Block Party, Focus Features, $6,214,723, (New); 8. Date Movie, 20th Century Fox, $5,131,207, 3 Wks. ($40,709,501); 9. Curious George, Universal, $4,519,550, 4 Wks. ($49,301,615); 10. Firewall, Warner Bros., $3,584,316, 4 Wks. ($42,494,897). »

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Churchgoers Turn Out Again for 'Madea'

6 March 2006 | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »

The lesson of the weekend box office was clear: never underestimate the power of the church to turn out audiences. For the second week in a row, Madea's Family Reunion, which was vigorously promoted in black churches, topped the box office earning $13 million. Four films that made their debuts over the weekend foundered: 16 Blocks, Dave Chapelle's Block Party, Ultraviolet and Aquamarine. The box office was down 15 percent from the comparable week a year ago. Particularly disappointing was the performance of Dave Chappelle's Block Party, which received mostly positive reviews but ended up in seventh place with only $6.5 million.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, $13 million; 2. 16 Blocks, $11.7 million; 3. Eight Below, $10.3 million; 4. Ultraviolet, $9 million; 5. Aquamarine, $7.5 million; 6. The Pink Panther, $7 million; 7. Dave Chappelle's Block Party, $6.5 million; 8. Date Move, $5.1 million; 9. Curious George, $4.4 million; 10. Firewall, $3.5 million. »

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Chock-a-Block Box Office

3 March 2006 | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »

Since the Oscar ceremonies have often been called the Super Bowl for women (last year, of the 42.1 million viewers, 24.5 million were women 18 or older versus 14.1 million men in the same demographic group) and since most of the nominated films were directed at adults, the studios have decided to make this Oscars weekend mostly a boys-night-out affair. The winner, analysts have indicated, is likely to be Warner Bros.' 16 Blocks, starring Bruce Willis and directed by Richard Donner. Close behind -- although it is appearing on half the number of screens -- is expected to be the Dave Chappelle concert film Block Party. Another strong challenger is expected to be last week's box-office champ, Madea's Family Reunion. Two other counterprogramming newcomers are also expected to perform strongly, Sony's sci-fi/horror flick Ultraviolet, which was not screened for critics, and Fox's Aquamarine, aimed at female teens. »

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Movie Reviews: '16 Blocks'

3 March 2006 | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »

The pairing in 16 Blocks of actor Bruce Willis and director Richard Donner, both of whom have a sizable collection of action flicks to their credit, is receiving approval from most critics. Willis, who plays a drunk cop in the movie, is being congratulated for doing what he does best -- playing the flawed action hero. Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times calls the movie, "a chase picture conducted at a velocity that is just about right for a middle-age alcoholic." Joe Morgenstern in the Wall Street Journal praises the performances of Willis and costar Mos Def and refers to the movie as "a mismatched-buddy movie that's endearing, funny and affecting in equal measure." Indeed Lou Lumenick in the New York Post rates the movie "the most competently made and entertaining major studio release so far this year." On the other hand, Stephen Hunter writes in the Washington Post: "This feeble thriller is so full of implausibilities it makes Willis's last star vehicle, Hostage, seem like a documentary on advanced thermodynamics." And Geoff Pevere in the Toronto Star pronounces it "as diverting as a two-hour slog through Manhattan traffic." »

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10 articles from 2006

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