Ronny Yu
Although he ultimately produced scores of Asian martial arts classics -- and broke the bank at the American box office with several visually decadent slasher pictures -- Ronny Yu began life by confron...
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'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' Desperately in Need of Sequel, Apparently
January 24, 2013 3:06pm ESTHere we go again! One of my favorite (and by favorite I mean least-favorite) things the big ole Hollywood machine can do: sequelize and franchise everything. And since The Weinstein Company and Miramax penned a deal allowing them to do such a thing back in 2010, no movie is safe. You might've thought "eh, we're nearly three years out from that deal: [insert favorite movie here] is probably safe." And well, we hate to break it to you, but you might've thought wrong. Because here comes the sequel you maybe forgot you wanted (or possibly don't!): Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The acclaimed 2000 Chinese film picked up a bevy of awards (I believe the technical term is "all of the awards, ever, jeez") when the Ang Lee made its way into the hearts and theaters of critics everywhere. So it's no surprise that Harvey and friends would want to capitalize on that sort of success, but, ugh, do we have to? Whatever happend to leaving well enough alone? It seems as though Weinstein and Sony don't particularly care either way, as Deadline is reporting that filming is already slated to begin in May. The film, based on a series of books by the author Du Lu Wang more commonly known as the Crane-Iron Series (of which there are five), will continue to be set in Asia. As for the story? Well, the project already has a script from John Fusco and is courting director Ronny Yu to helm the production, said to be based on the series' fifth book Iron Knight, Silver Vase. It will continue to revolve around the character Yu Shu Lien (originated by Michelle Yeoh), and while it's not clear which actors will reprise roles, some are expected to do just that. "This introduces a new generation of star-crossed lovers, and a new series of antagonists in a battle of good and evil. ... I found characters from the second and third books in the series to create a most interesting stew while being as true to the source material as I could be," explained Fusco. No word on if the sequel will be titled Pouncing Tiger, Visible Dragon, but there's always hope. What do you think of the sequel news? Excited or over it? Sound off in the comments below! [Photo Credit: Sony] Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes More: J.J. Abrams Directing Next 'Star Wars' Movie — REPORT Amy Poehler and Adam Scott Reteam in Excellent Divorce Comedy 'A.C.O.D.' Joaquin Phoenix Reunites with His ‘Master’ Paul Thomas Anderson for ‘Inherent Vice’ You Might Also Like: Manti Te’O Comes Clean About Girlfriend Hoax 100 Hottest Women of the Century: PICS
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Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? Review
October 12, 2007 6:45am ESTThere are distinct echoes of Alan Alda’s The Four Seasons and Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill here as the film focuses on four couples who have been friends since their college days. Periodically they get together and ask themselves the title question as they re-examine their relationships. There’s Janet Jackson as Patricia the college lecturer whose best-selling book is based on her friends’ relationships. Patricia and her husband Gavin (Malik Yoba) are trying to hold their marriage together after the loss of their young son in a tragic car accident. The cocky Mike (Richard T. Jones) flaunts an adulterous relationship in front of his insecure overweight wife Shelia (Jill Scott) who is completely oblivious to the deception. Terry (Perry himself) is a successful pediatrician trying to convince his wife Diane (Sharon Leal)--a successful attorney in her own right--to have more kids. Marcus (Michael Jai White) a former pro football player merely tries to get through the day without a tongue-lashing from his acerbic wife Angela (Tasha Smith) a woman not known for keeping her opinions to herself regardless of how appropriate the circumstances. All of them find themselves confronting career demands family demands infidelity incompatibility and mistrust--all while drinking far too much wine. Needless to say before their get-together is over a number of secrets will be divulged and each couple will find their relationships shaken to their respective cores. Forgoing the housedress of his cinematic alter-ego “Madea ” Perry proves an affable screen personality quite relaxed within the ensemble. Jones doesn’t go out of his way to make Mike in any way likable which makes his one of the more memorable and clearly defined characters in the entire cast. Although Smith gets all the sassy lines White easily steals their scenes together with a surprisingly appealing comic turn. Hunky Lamman Rucker plays a dreamboat sheriff who finds himself drawn into this ever-shifting circle of friends. The women have a tougher go of it with Jackson giving a tremulous performance that makes her character almost disappear into the background. Yoba is also low-key although more affectingly so as her onscreen spouse. Leal does what she can with the stock role of a career woman who takes her home life for granted but she fares better than Scott whose crying scenes--and there are more than one--ground the story to a halt. All told however the ensemble cast has an easy and relaxed chemistry together which keeps the film--as soapy as uneven as it often is--afloat throughout. Tyler Perry doesn’t open up his stage play to any major degree preferring to leave the emphasis on characters and dialogue--both of which incidentally he has created. Perry tends to approach these intricate topics with broad (but not irrelevant) strokes but he’s not about to tamper with a successful formula. Like most of Perry’s previous films (Diary of a Mad Black Woman Madea*s Family Reunion et. al.) Why Did I Get Married? runs on a bit and overstates its case but its heart’s in the right place.
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Fearless Review
September 25, 2006 10:37am ESTBased on a true story Jet Li plays Huo Yuanjia the legendary Chinese martial arts master who at the turn of the 20th century became the most famous fighter in all of China. As a young man Huo is unbeatable but pride gets in the way and when an ill-advised fight goes horribly wrong Huo’s life comes crashing down. This sends Huo on a torturous journey of self-discovery in which he learns the true nature of sportsmanship. He returns to Tianjin restores his family’s name and--with his evolving graceful Mizong (Missing) Fist method of fighting--Huo forms the progressive Jingwu Sports Federation. Then comes the big event. Huo is asked to fight in a tournament in which he must do battle against four powerful international fighters. He accepts and the outcome is what legends are made of. If Jet Li decides to just do the acting thing from now on he’s got a good shot at success. He has always been the better actor of his martial arts contemporaries—ice-cold as the villain in Lethal Weapon 4 convincingly romantic in Romeo Must Die and displaying some real chops in Hero. Even as Huo Jet shows ranges going from a man pumped full of arrogance and pride who neglects his family to a quiet warrior who’s well fearless. But no one really believes Jet Li is going to stop making wushu martial arts movies do they? He just too good at it. Still you can’t blame Jet Li for wanting to quit. Those fight sequences do look like they hurt—a lot—and as he gets older it must be more difficult to bounce back. So with Fearless Jet gives his fans a real send off calling this film his most personal because it expresses the martial arts beliefs and philosophies he’s learned over the last 30 years. Jet is also backed by a talented Chinese director Ronny Yu (The Bride with White Hair) who frames his star in one daring fight sequence after another. The narrative and themes seems familiar and staid but the fact it’s based on a real person gives it some credibility. Let’s just say Fearless is one of the more inspiring martial arts movies you’ll ever see.
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Box Office Analysis, Sept. 7: Child Stars Unite!
September 08, 2003 6:27am ESTDanny Bonaduce and Emmanuel Lewis proved that their 15 minutes of fame is far from over. The David Spade comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, which boasts cameos from Bonaduce and Lewis as well as Barry Williams, Dustin Diamond, Leif Garrett and Corey Feldman, took in a not-so-stellar $7 million* this weekend--just enough to edge past the lackluster competition to the top of the box office. Last week's box office topper, Jeepers Creepers 2, lost more than half its opening draw and placed second this week with a humbling $6.7 million, while Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl anchored itself in third place with a swaggering $5.5 million. The family remake Freaky Friday followed close behind the swashbuckling tale with a far-out $5.1 million, while the '70s-inspired cop actioner S.W.A.T. rounded out the Top Five with an arresting $4.6 million. The supernatural thriller The Order, whose biggest omen was not screening for the press, debuted in sixth place with a sinful $4.3 million. This dismal weekend, the Top 12 films grossed an ESTIMATED $50.8 million, down a whopping 37 percent from last weekend, when they grossed $81.6 million. The Top 12 movies were also down 14 percent from this time last year when they took in $59.1 million. On a brighter note, the comedy American Wedding, which dropped out of the Top Ten this week, became the 20th film released in 2003 to cross the $100 million mark with its $2.1 million take. THE TOP TEN Paramount Picture's PG-13 rated comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star debuted at the top of the box office this weekend with $7 million at 2,026 theaters. Its $3,455 per theater average was the highest of any film playing wide this weekend. In the film, Dickie Roberts, a child star grown up into a 35-year-old has-been, decides to rent a family for a month to experience the childhood he never had--and land the part of a lifetime. Directed by Sam Weisman, it stars David Spade, Jon Lovitz, Alyssa Milano, Doris Roberts, Craig Bierko and Mary McCormack. MGM's R rated Jeepers Creepers 2, last week's box office topper, came in second with an ESTIMATED $6.7 million (-56%) in its second week in 3,124 theaters (unchanged; $2,150 per theater average). Its cume is approximately $27.4 million. Directed by Victor Salva, it stars Ray Wise, Jonathan Breck, Nicki Lynn Aycox, Garikayi Mutambirwa and Lena Caldwell. Buena Vista Pictures' PG-13 rated success story Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl climbed a notch to third in its ninth week with an ESTIMATED $5.5 million (-31%) at 2,203 theaters (-24 theaters; $2,497 per theater). Its cume is approximately $282 million. Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. Buena Vista's PG rated family remake Freaky Friday slipped two spots to take the No. 4 position in its fifth week with an ESTIMATED $5.1 million (-45%) in 2,973 theaters (-94 theaters; $1,715 per theater). Its cume is $97.2 million. Directed by Mark Waters, it stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Chad Michael Murray and Mark Harmon. Sony Pictures' PG-13 rated S.W.A.T. dropped one place to No. 4 in its fifth week with an ESTIMATED $4.6 million (-45%) in 2,600 theaters (-181 theaters; $1,769 per theater). Its cume is approximately $108.8 million. Directed by Clark Johnson, it stars Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez. *Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc. Twentieth Century Fox's R rated supernatural thriller The Order debuted in sixth place with an ESTIMATED $4.3 million in 1,975 theaters with a $2,182 per theater average. In the movie, a renegade priest investigates an unexplained murder in a secret Order that has existed within the Church for centuries and discovers there is a fate worse than death. Directed by Brian Helgeland, it stars Heath Ledger, Benno Furmann and Shannyn Sossamon. Buena Vista's R rated Western Open Range fell two notches to come in seventh in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $4 million (-50%) in 2,268 theaters (+24 theaters; $1,764 per theater). Its cume is approximately $49.1 million. Directed by and starring Kevin Costner, it also stars Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, Diego Luna and Michael Gambon. Universal Pictures' PG-13 rated equestrian drama Seabiscuit dropped two spots to finish in the No. 8 position in its seventh week with ESTIMATED $3.6 million (-44%) in 2,573 theaters (+17 theaters; $1,425 per theater). Its cume is approximately $109.6 million. Directed by Gary Ross, it stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper. New Line Cinema's R rated horror flick Freddy vs. Jason also slipped two places to No. 9 in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $3.1 million (-55%) in 2,505 theaters (-424 theaters; $1,267 per theater). Its cume is approximately $78.2 million. Directed by Ronny Yu, it stars Robert Englund and Ken Kirzinger. Rounding out the Top Ten is MGM's PG-13 rated riches-to-rags tale Uptown Girls, which dropped one spot to 10th in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $2.4 million (-42%) in 2,031 theaters (-135; $1,206 per theater). Its cume is approximately $33.5 million. Directed by Boaz Yakin, it stars Brittany Murphy, Dakota Fanning, Donald Faison, Marley Shelton and Heather Locklear. WEEKEND COMPARISON Last year's top three included: Twentieth Century Fox's PG-13 rated teen thriller Swimfan, which opened with $11.3 million in 2,855 theaters ($3,966 per theater average); the indie sleeper My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which came in second in its 21st week of release with $10.3 million at 1,695 theaters ($6,119 per theater); and Warner Bros.' R rated thriller City by the Sea, which debuted in third place with $8.9 million in 2,575 theaters ($3,470 per theater average).
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Box Office Analysis, Sept. 1: Labor Day Scares Up B.O. Record
September 01, 2003 6:17pm ESTEven though the pickings were slim at the box office this weekend, scary movies continued to be all the rage, with Jeepers Creepers 2 leading the top 12 films to a record-breaking $101 million weekend haul, beating the 2001 Labor Day record of $94 million. With a four-day total of $18.5 million*, horror sequel Creepers 2--about a wily, winged monster who feeds on hapless teenagers--far outshined its predecessor, which took in $15.8 million over the four-day Labor Day weekend in 2001. And it also made it clear there could only be one horror flick at the top, as Creepers 2 knocked the two-week champion, Freddy vs. Jason, off its perch and sent it down several notches to seventh place. Slash that, Freddy and Jason! Considering that Creepers 2 was the only new film in wide release this weekend, its victory isn't all that surprising. What is surprising is the rest of the top five, where some of this summer's favorite films are back in action. Moving up a two spots after a month in theaters was Disney's family fare Freaky Friday, which came in at No. 2 with $11.7 million. Police drama S.W.A.T., also in its fourth week, took third place with $10.5 million. The far-from-cursed Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl also moved up two places to steal fourth at $10.2 million, tying with the wild west saga Open Range, which roped in the same amount. THE TOP TEN MGM's R-rated Jeepers Creepers 2 debuted in the top spot with an ESTIMATED $18.5 in 3,124 theaters. Its $5,922 per theater average was the highest of any movie playing wide this week. The sequel follows a group of varsity basketball players, cheerleaders and coaches who are returning home from a championship game and become stranded on a dark road. They eventually become victims of the Creeper's final voracious feeding frenzy. Directed by Victor Salva, it stars Ray Wise, Jonathan Breck, Nicki Lynn Aycox, Garikayi Mutambirwa and Lena Caldwell. Buena Vista's PG rated family remake Freaky Friday laughed its way up two spots to take No. 2 in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $11.7 million (-2%) in 3,067 theaters (+9 theaters; $3,815 per theater). Its cume is $90 million. Directed by Mark Waters, it stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Chad Michael Murray and Mark Harmon. Sony Pictures' PG-13 rated S.W.A.T. dropped just one place to No. 3 in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $10.5 million (-22%) in 2,781 theaters (-423 theaters; $3,776 per theater). Its cume is approximately $102.4 million. Directed by Clark Johnson, it stars Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez. While films generally wane after a few weeks on the charts, Buena Vista Pictures' PG-13 rated success story Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl gained momentum, shimmying up two spots to fourth place in its eighth week with an ESTIMATED $10.2 million (+9%) at 2,227 theaters (-177 theaters; $4,580 per theater). Its cume is approximately $274.4 million. Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. In a tie with Pirates of the Caribbean, Buena Vista's R rated Western Open Range also came in with an ESTIMATED $10.2 million (-18%) in its third week in 2,244 theaters (+81 theaters; $4,545 per theater). Its cume is approximately $42.9 million. Directed by and starring Kevin Costner, it also stars Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, Diego Luna and Michael Gambon. *Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc. Universal Pictures' PG-13 rated equestrian drama Seabiscuit also gained a spot to finish in the No. 6 position in its sixth week with ESTIMATED $8.15 million (+4%) in 2,556 theaters (+22 theaters; $3,190 per theater). Its cume is approximately $103.7 million. Directed by Gary Ross, it stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper. New Line Cinema's R rated horror flick Freddy vs. Jason got whacked down to seventh place in its third week with an ESTIMATED $8.12 million (-50%) in 2,929 theaters (-85 theaters; $2,774 per theater). Its cume is approximately $73.4 million. Directed by Ronny Yu, it stars Robert Englund and Ken Kirzinger. Sony Pictures' PG-13 rated martial arts actioner The Medallion dropped considerably from fifth to eighth place in its second week with an ESTIMATED $5.7 million (-45%) at 2,652 theaters (+4 theaters; $2,149 per theater). The Jackie Chan-starrer has earned approximately $16.3 million so far. Directed by Gordon Chan, it stars Jackie Chan, Lee Evans and Claire Forlani. MGM's PG-13 rated riches-to-rags tale Uptown Girls slipped one spot to ninth in its third week with an ESTIMATED $5.2 million (-26%) in 2,166 theaters (-329; $2,419 per theater). Its cume is approximately $30 million. Directed by Boaz Yakin, it stars Brittany Murphy, Dakota Fanning, Donald Faison, Marley Shelton and Heather Locklear. Rounding out the Top Ten is Dimension Films' PG-13 rated comedy My Boss's Daughter, which held onto tenth place for the second week with an ESTIMATED $4.5 million (-28%) in 2,206 theaters (+5 theaters; $2, 057 per theater). Its cume is approximately $11.6 million. In the film, a young executive housesits for his boss and tends to his prized pet owl in hopes of skipping a few rungs on his way up the corporate ladder. Directed by David Zucker, it stars Ashton Kutcher, Tara Reid, Molly Shannon and Andy Richter. WEEKEND COMPARISON The box office grosses this Labor Day weekend were up 10.8 percent from the same weekend last year, when the total take was $91.2 million. Last year's top three included: Buena Vista's PG-13 rated sci-fi thriller Signs, which held onto the No. 1 spot in its fifth week of release with $17 million at 3,437 theaters ($4,959 per theater average); the indie film My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which finally got an expanded release after 20 weeks in release and came in second with $11.1 million at 1,619 theaters ($9,147 per theater); and Sony's PG-13 rated actioner xXx, which dropped to third in its fourth week with $10.3 million in 3,536 theaters ($3,707 per theater average).
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Box Office Analysis, Aug. 24: "Freddy vs. Jason" Commit Serial Slaughter
August 26, 2003 9:37am ESTFreddy Krueger and Jason Vorhees teamed up this weekend to defend their No. 1 title at the box office--and it worked: Freddy vs. Jason managed to murder the competition for the second week in a row with $13.4 million*. Freddy vs. Jason was followed by the '70s inspired police pic S.W.A.T., which claimed the No. 2 spot with $10.8 million, while the Western Open Range and the family remake Freaky Friday tied for third place with $9.4 million apiece. The Jackie Chan martial arts actioner The Medallion, the only one of this week's new wide releases to crack the Top Five, followed with $8.2 million. The two new comedies, however, failed to tickle the fancy of moviegoers. The finally released, two-year-old Ashton Kutcher laffer My Boss's Daughter premiered in tenth place with $5 million while the hip-hop comedy Marci X disappeared off the charts with a paltry $865,000. Although Freddy vs. Jason dropped off significantly from its $36.4 million high last week, it is the first summer film since X2: X-Men United to spend two weekends in a row at the top of the box office. But after a full month of $30 million plus openers, the box office lost its typical end of summer steam. This week's Top 12 films grossed a total of $86.1 million, down a little more than 35 percent from last week, when they earned $132.6 million. The total, however, was up almost 33 percent form this time last year, when the Top 12 films grossed $64.8 million. THE TOP TEN New Line Cinema's R rated horror flick Freddy vs. Jason defended its No. 1 title for the second week in a row with an ESTIMATED $13.4 million (-63%) in 3,014 theaters (unchanged). Its $4,463 per theater average was the highest of any movie playing wide this week. Its cume is approximately $61.4 million. Directed by Ronny Yu, it stars Robert Englund and Ken Kirzinger. Sony Pictures' PG-13 rated S.W.A.T. retained in its No. 2 spot in its third week with an ESTIMATED $10.8 million (-40%) in 3,204 theaters (-16 theaters; $3,371 per theater). Its cume is approximately $88 million. Directed by Clark Johnson, it stars Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez. Buena Vista's R rated Western Open Range also held on to third place in its second week with an ESTIMATED $9.4 million (-33%) in 2,075 theaters (+88 theaters; $4,346 per theater). Its cume is approximately $29 2 million. Directed by and starring Kevin Costner, it also stars Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, Diego Luna and Michael Gambon. Buena Vista's PG rated family remake Freaky Friday tied for third place in its third week with an ESTIMATED $9.4 million (-30%) in 3,058 theaters (+79 theaters; $3,074 per theater). Its cume is $74.5 million. Directed by Mark Waters, it stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Chad Michael Murray and Mark Harmon. *Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc. Sony Pictures' PG-13 rated martial arts actioner The Medallion premiered in fifth place with an ESTIMATED $8.2 million at 2,648 theaters, with a $3,097 per theater average. The film, Jackie Chan's first theatrical release in three years without a famous co-star, revolves around a Hong Kong detective who must protect a Buddhist monk child and a mysterious medallion from a ruthless crime lord. Directed by Gordon Chan, it stars Jackie Chan, Lee Evans and Claire Forlani. Buena Vista Pictures' PG-13 rated fantasy pic Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl remained strong in sixth place in its seventh week with an ESTIMATED $7.3 million (-20%) at 2,404 theaters (-306 theaters; $2,500 per theater). Its cume is approximately $261 million. Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. Universal Pictures' PG-13 rated equestrian drama Seabiscuit gained a spot to finish in the No. 7 position in its fifth week with ESTIMATED $6.3 million (-22%) in 2,534 theaters (+72 theaters; $2,500 per theater). Its cume is approximately $93.1 million and headed for the $100 million mark. Directed by Gary Ross, it stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper as three down-and-out men who find fame and fortune in an equally down-and-out racehorse. MGM's PG-13 rated riches-to-rags tale Uptown Girls dropped three rungs to place eight in its second week with an ESTIMATED $5.6 million (-50%) in 2,495 theaters (unchanged; $2,244 per theater). Its cume is approximately $22.3 million. Directed by Boaz Yakin, it stars Brittany Murphy, Dakota Fanning, Donald Faison, Marley Shelton and Heather Locklear. Universal Picture's R rated teen comedy American Wedding fell two spots to finish ninth in fourth week with an ESTIMATED $5.7 million (-34%) at 2,467 theaters (-518 theaters; $2,260 per theater). Its cume is $90.6 million. Directed by Jesse Dylan, it stars Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Alyson Hannigan, Eddie Kaye Thomas and Thomas Ian Nicholas. Rounding out the Top Ten is Dimension Films' PG-13 rated fowl comedy My Boss's Daughter, which debuted in tenth place with an ESTIMATED $5 million in 2,201 theaters with a $2,272 per theater average. In the film, a young executive housesits for his boss and tends to his prized pet owl in hopes of skipping a few rungs up the corporate ladder. Directed by David Zucker, it stars Ashton Kutcher, Tara Reid, Molly Shannon and Andy Richter. OTHER OPENINGS Paramount Pictures R rated hip-hop comedy Marci X opened to a disappointing $875,000 in 1,200 theaters with a $721 per theater average. In the film, a New York Jewish socialite is forced to take over a hard-core hip-hop label and deal with a controversial rapper whose record is gaining some negative publicity. Directed by Paul Rudnick, it stars Lisa Kudrow, Damon Wayans, Richard Benjamin, Christine Baranski and Jane Krakowski. Fox Searchlight's R rated teen drama Thirteen, meanwhile, opened in five theaters to an impressive $112,213 with a $22,443 per theater average. The movie focuses on an innocent, pigtailed 13-year-old who enters junior high with a promising future ahead of her, until she falls in with the ultra-popular, hottest girl in school and is introduced to a world of sex, drugs and misdemeanors. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, it stars Holly Hunter, Evan Rachel Wood and Nikki Reed. Miramax Film's PG-13 rated comedy The Battle of Shaker Heights, winner of the 2002 Project Greenlight competition developed by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, also opened in limited release this week. The film took in $52,000 in 5 theaters with a $10,400 per theater average. Set in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, the film is about a teenage World War II buff and battle re-enactor, Kelly Enswiler, who is encouraged by a new friend to take on the school bully. Directed by Kyle Rankin and Efram Potelle, it stars Shia LaBeouf, Kathleen Quinlan, Amy Smart and Shiri Appleby. WEEKEND COMPARISON Last year's top three included: Buena Vista's PG-13 rated sci-fi thriller Signs, which reclaimed the No. 1 spot in its fourth week of release with $14.2 million at 3,453 theaters ($4,137 per theater average); Sony's PG-13 rated actioner xXx, which dropped to second place its third week with $13.2 million in 3,517 theaters ($3,770 per theater average); and Dimension's Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, which came in third in its third week with $7.5 million at 3,307 theaters ($2,295 per theater).
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Box Office Analysis, Aug. 17: "Freddy vs. Jason" Murders B.O.
August 17, 2003 7:58pm ESTMovie audiences weren't afraid of a little blood and gore this weekend; on the contrary, they were compelled to find out who won the ultimate monster battle. Freddy vs. Jason, which pits A Nightmare of Elm Street's steely-fingered Freddy against Friday the 13th's machete-wielding Jason, simply slaughtered the box office competition, debuting at No. 1 with a head-splittin' $36.4 million* and shoving last week's headliner, the police-drama S.W.A.T., down to second place with $18.6 million. Combining the two horror franchises turned out to be a brilliant idea, generating more opening box office dollars than either individual series has seen lately. The last Friday the 13th installment, Jason X, debuted in 2002 at $6.6 million, while the last Elm Street chapter, Wes Craven's New Nightmare, opened in 1994 at $6.6 million as well. "[Freddy vs. Jason] worked because it's a brand new series. It's an original movie with name recognition," Russell Schwartz, head of domestic marketing for New Line Cinema told The Associated Press. "We took it seriously and didn't turn it into Scary Movie. Not that it doesn't have humor, but we didn't want to go too campy." Oscar-winning Kevin Costner's western saga Open Range premiered at No. 3 with a respectable $14.1 million, making it the second best opener of Costner's last five movies. Only the romantic Message in a Bottle topped Range's figure when it opened in 1999 at $16.7 million. Other recent Costner vehicles haven't fared as well: Dragonfly took $10.2 million, 3,000 Miles to Graceland $7.1 million, Thirteen Days $46,688 and For Love of the Game $13 million. The body-switching comedy Freaky Friday took fourth place with $13.1 million, while the girl-powered Uptown Girls debuted in the fifth spot with $11.2 million. Other newcomers this week included the skateboarding laffer Grind, which premiered with a measly $2.6 million, and the underground comic book indie American Splendor, which debuted in limited release and took in $156,000. Overall, box office grosses were up, up, up this weekend, nearly 4 percent from last weekend and a whopping 34 percent from the same weekend last year. THE TOP TEN New Line Cinema's R-rated horror fest Freddy vs. Jason spooked its way to the top spot with an ESTIMATED $36.4 million in 3,014 theaters. Its $12,085 per theater average was the highest of any movie playing wide this week. Friday the 13th's Jason Voorhees leaves the cozy confines of Camp Crystal Lake for Elm Street, where he meets his most dangerous adversary yet--A Nightmare on Elm Street's Freddy Krueger. But this town only has room for one slasher. Directed by Ronny Yu, it stars Robert Englund and Ken Kirzinger. Sony Pictures' PG-13-rated S.W.A.T. dropped from the top spot to No. 2 in its second week with an ESTIMATED $18.6 million (-50%) in 3,220 theaters (+18 theaters; $5,776 per theater). The film, revolving around a newly trained S.W.A.T. team, has garnered $70 million so far. Directed by Clark Johnson, it stars Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez. Buena Vista's R-rated Open Range moseyed into third place in its opening weekend with an ESTIMATED $14.1 million in 2,075 theaters, taking in an average of $6,795 per theater. In the film, a posse of "freegrazers"--rogue cowboys who drive their own cattle--runs into trouble in prairie town run by a kingpin rancher. Directed by and starring Kevin Costner, it also stars Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, Diego Luna and Michael Gambon. Buena Vista's PG-rated Freaky Friday fell a couple of spots to No. 4 in its second week with an ESTIMATED $13.1 million (-41%) in 2,979 theaters (+25 theaters; $4,397 per theater). Its cume is $57.9 million. Directed by Mark Waters, it stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Chad Michael Murray and Mark Harmon. *Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc. MGM's PG-13-rated Uptown Girls giggled all the way to No. 5 in its premiere weekend with an ESTIMATED $11.2 million in 2,495 theaters ($4,489 per theater). In this riches-to-rags tale, the daughter of a late rock-and-roll star gets a rude awakening when all her money is embezzled and she has to take a job as the nanny to a very uptight 8-year-old girl. Directed by Boaz Yakin, it stars Brittany Murphy, Dakota Fanning, Donald Faison, Marley Shelton and Heather Locklear. Buena Vista Pictures' PG-13-rated fantasy actioner Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl collected more booty, slipping to sixth place in its sixth week of release with an ESTIMATED $8.5 million (-35%) at 2,710 theaters (-460 theaters; $3,137 per theater). Its cume is approximately $247.9 million. Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. Universal Picture's R-rated comedy American Wedding plummeted four spots to seventh in its third week with an ESTIMATED $8.16 million (-47%) at 2,985 theaters (-210 theaters; $2,735 per theater). Its cume is $80.6 million. Directed by Jesse Dylan, it stars Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Alyson Hannigan, Eddie Kaye Thomas and Thomas Ian Nicholas. Universal Pictures' PG-13-rated drama Seabiscuit fell three notches to No. 8 in its fourth week, taking in an ESTIMATED $8.12 million (-32%) in 2,462 theaters (+34 theaters; $3,300 per theater). Its cume is approximately $83 million. Directed by Gary Ross, it stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper as three down-and-out men who find fame and fortune in an equally down-and-out racehorse. Dimension Films' PG-rated Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over dropped three spots to No. 9 in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $5.2 million (-46%) in 3,003 theaters (-385 theaters; $1,745 per theater). Its cume is approximately $96.8 million. Written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, it stars Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Sylvester Stallone, Salma Hayek and Ricardo Montalban. Sony Picture's R-rated buddy actioner Bad Boys II continued to move down the list to take 10th place in its fifth week with an ESTIMATED $3.2 million (-47%) at 1,785 theaters (-664 theaters; $1,793 per theater). Its cume is approximately $128.8 million. Directed by Michael Bay, it stars Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Jordi Molla, Gabrielle Union and Peter Stormare. OTHER OPENINGS Warner Bros.' PG-13-rated Grind opened with an ESTIMATED $2.6 million in 2,253 theaters ($1,161 per theater). Four free-wheelin', skateboarding buddies head cross-country to try to get into a pro-skateboarding demo tour. Directed by Casey La Scala, it stars Mike Vogel, Adam Brody, Vince Vieluf, Joey Kern and Jennifer Morrison. Fine Line's R-rated American Splendor debuted in limited release with an ESTIMATED $156,000 in 6 theaters ($26,000 per theater). In this true story, hospital administrative clerk Harvey Pekar goes from rags to (relative) riches with his homegrown autobiographical comic book series, American Splendor. Directed by Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman, it stars Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis and Harvey Pekar. WEEKEND COMPARISON The Top 12 films this weekend grossed an ESTIMATED $132 million, up 33.2 percent from last year's take of $99.1 million. The Top 12 films were also up 3.6 percent from last weekend when they grossed $127.4 million. Last year's top three included: Sony's PG-13-rated actioner xXx, which stayed in first place its second week in a row with $22.1 million in 3,388 theaters ($6,526 per theater average); Buena Vista's PG-13 rated sci-fi thriller Signs, which held on to second place for two consecutive weeks with $19.3 million at 3,344 theaters ($5,790 per theater average); and Universal Pictures' PG-13-rated Blue Crush which opened in third with $14.1 million in 3,002 theaters ($4,720 per theater).
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Freddy Vs. Jason Review
August 15, 2003 6:28am ESTAbout 10 years ago the residents of Springwood ended Freddy Krueger's legendary reign of terror by drugging the town's teens to prevent them from dreaming and locking away the ones who wouldn't forget the master of nightmares. But as Freddy points out "being forgotten was a bitch." In order to emerge from his purgatory Freddy needs to instill fear back on the 1400 block of Elm Street--and he thinks he has found his ticket with the hockey-mask-wearing serial killer Jason Voorhees. Taking the form of Jason's dead mother Freddy invades Jason's dreams and instructs him to leave Crystal Lake and head to Elm Street to do some slaughtering. The plan actually works and as the town becomes fearful once more Freddy is able to prey on their vulnerability. But whom will Freddy torment if Jason slashes all the teens in town? As advertised by the studio the two '80s horror icons eventually engage in the ultimate showdown. Moviegoers however will have to check out the movie to find out who wins the face-off but the question is is it worth it? If you are not a fan of either franchise be prepared to sit through a shoddy story that is missing the tension and buildup so prevalent in Wes Craven's original 1984 thriller A Nightmare on Elm Street. If you are devotee the melding of Freddy and Jason on the big screen is a pretty delicious treat but the battle's outcome may ultimately frustrate fans. Almost 20 years ago Robert Englund gained cult status as Freddy Krueger--a horror icon as recognizable as Boris Karloff's Frankenstein. Now Englund's name has become so synonymous with this character that replacing him would be catastrophic--and with good reason; this character actor is cause enough to go see the Freddy vs. Jason. This is Englund's eighth time going under the putty knife and he appears to still be having a blast playing Freddy. Although the character's physical appearance hasn't changed a bit (he still wears that skanky striped sweater and his razor fingers are still charmingly low-tech) but his quips are more sarcastic than ever. "What's the matter Lori " the dream-crasher taunts his victim. "Miss your wake-up call?" Former stunt performer Ken Kirzinger portrays Freddy's challenger Friday the 13th's Jason Vorhees. Different actors portrayed the character in 6 of the 10 installments of the Friday series; the last four sequels starred Kane Hodder. But since Jason sports a hockey mask and doesn't talk he doesn't have many personality traits to note--unless you count his slashing technique. So while Kirzinger is a convincing enough Jason it's safe to assume this stunt man was probably hired more for his ability to crash through glass and go up like a human torch rather for any likeness to Jason. Director Ronny Yu who helmed the psycho doll thriller Bride of Chucky in 1998 is no stranger to the horror genre. Freddy vs. Jason is well done especially Yu's subtle transitions from the characters' realities to dreamland. This is where the director manages to inject a bit of tension into the film by playing mind games with the audience: When a character heads towards imminent danger the audience is never sure if they have fallen asleep and are dreaming or if what is happening is real--until a visual clue pops up like a bleating goat appearing where it clearly doesn't belong. Yu does this with a sense of humor and a bit of '80s nostalgia which is sure to please connoisseurs of the franchise. But the problem with Freddy vs. Jason is that it is so busy not taking itself too seriously that it fails to instill fear. Screenwriters Damian Shanning and Mark Swift had the thorny task of blending Freddy's supernatural and somewhat intellectually superior storylines with Jason's thuggish slasher plots and the result is story that leans more towards the brutish. The buildup and tension that made Nightmare on Elm Street so eccentrically frightening is gone and Freddy is brought down to Jason's level forced to fight physically rather than use his manipulative mind power. Watching the two malevolent entities hacking away at each other Freddy and Jason have almost been reduced to standing jokes.
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Formula 51 Review
October 22, 2002 3:12pm ESTFinally a movie about drugs that has a light and refreshing change of pace even if the story doens't always add up. It starts in 1971 as Elmo McElroy (Samuel L. Jackson) gets caught smoking pot in his car after graduating from pharmacy school at the top of his class. Jumping ahead to present day the master chemist (OK so is he now supposed to be in his 50s?) is now working his magic for a particularly nasty-looking drug lord known as The Lizard (Meat Loaf)--and McElroy wants out. He thinks he's found a way when he creates a new designer drug--or a "personal visit from God " as he calls it--and goes to England to make the deal of a lifetime. Of course the road to riches has a few speed bumps along the way. First he meets local Liverpool hood Felix DeSouza (Robert Carlyle) who hates all things American and who is suppose to take the kilt-wearing Elmo to his boss to make the $20 million deal. Then there's deadly assassin Dakota (Emily Mortimer) who hates all things English and who is hired by the Lizard to bring Elmo (and the drug formula in Elmo's head) to him. The fact that Felix and Dakota used to be a hot item until she dumped him to go to America is just another interesting facet of this tangled web. Elmo with the eventual help of Dakota and Felix outsmarts the increasing number of people who want to get a hold of the drug's formula--and has the last laugh. Jackson once again commands the screen. He really is at his best when he's playing the charismatic smooth talker with more than a hint of malice in his eyes like he did so tremendously in Pulp Fiction. Although he's not really a bad guy in Formula 51 he still infuses Elmo with the same arrogant confidence. The only drawback is the fact Jackson is too much a fish-out-of-water with the colorful British characters he encounters. Elmo's reasons for going to England and eventually staying there never make much sense and Jackson's performance doesn't shed any light. Carlyle on the other hand is truly in his element playing the cocky American-hating Felix who spends most of the film trying to get tickets to a huge football match (that's soccer to us Yanks). He and Jackson play off one another fairly well but not as electrically as he and Mortimer (Lovely & Amazing) do. Not only does the actress convincingly play a ruthless assassin who can kill just about anything that moves she and Carlyle just click. Even though Dakota wants to leave the minute she steps back into England you know she's not going to without Felix this time. Meat Loaf is adequately repulsive while Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill) does a nice turn as a rival drug dealer. This is yet another movie released more than a year after it was made. After being released in England as 51st State its U.S. release date was pushed back a number of times which usually spells trouble. But the film directed by Chinese director Ronny Yu (Bride of Chucky) has a premise that grabs you right away and little quirks that make it work. Why does Elmo wear a kilt throughout the film? Apparently just because and he also carries around golf clubs for the heck of it or in case he's attacked by a gang of skinheads. Without such oddities once you got the gist of the story the rest of the film would just be a silly romp through a drug world. There's a wacky scene between Felix and another hood (Paul Barber Carlyle's cohort in The Full Monty) where a miscommunication means a guy gets stuffed into the back of a trunk. Then there's Ifans' drug dealer who gets an occasional yoga lesson from an obese black man telling him to find his "center." Funny stuff. The rest of the plot you could give a miss but it's worth seeing for all the perks.
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Box Office Analysis: Oct. 20
October 20, 2002 1:50pm ESTThe Ring ran circles around its box office competition, opening to a well rounded $15 million, while Sweet Home Alabama was still dancing in second place with $9.6 million. Red Dragon finished third, scaring up $8.8 million. My Big Fat Greek Wedding was fourth with $7.2 million, down only 15 percent in its 27th weekend. It's already done over $169 million and is heading for $185 million. Abandon's soft $5.3 million opening tied for fifth with a less sweet Brown Sugar. Revolution Studios and Columbia went wider with Punch-Drunk Love, averaging an impressive nearly $21,000 per theater at 78 runs. For details, see EXPANSIONS below. Columbia also was celebrating strong international openings for XXX, which now has opened number one in 40 territories around the world. The film's worldwide cume is nearly $200 million now and is heading for $300 million. For details, see INTERNATIONAL below. Key films were up 8 percent over last year -- $84.3 million versus $78.0 million. THE TOP TEN DreamWorks' PG-13 rated horror thriller The Ring opened solidly to a chart topping ESTIMATED $15.0 million at 1,981 theaters ($7,572 per theater). The Ring's average per theater was the highest for any film playing in wide release this weekend. Directed by Gore Verbinski, it stars Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson and Brian Cox. "People were in the mood for a fun and scary movie," DreamWorks distribution head Jim Tharp said Sunday morning. "I guess you could say the audience had goose bumps on top of goose bumps, but they had a good time with it. We had sneaks last weekend at 400 locations and I think certainly the word of mouth helped Friday night. There was a 31 percent increase from Friday to Saturday, which in itself is remarkable and indicates good word of mouth and that it plays broader than the under-25 crowd." With Halloween approaching, will DreamWorks go wider with The Ring? "We're going to add 300 to 500 runs on Friday (Oct. 25)," Tharp replied. "Halloween, itself, is not a good movie day, but having movies like this in the (pre-Halloween) marketplace that are both scary and fun helps a lot." Asked if the World Series had hurt at the box office, Tharp said, "I didn't notice a lot of impact. It might have had a slight negative impact, but not much." Buena Vista/Touchstone's PG-13 rated romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama held on to second place in its third week, still looking good with an ESTIMATED $9.6 million (-32%) at 3,282 theaters (-31 theaters; $2,926 per theater). Its cume is approximately $98.5 million, heading for $125 million in domestic theaters. Directed by Andy Tennant, it stars Reese Witherspoon. Universal and Dino De Laurentiis's R rated thriller Red Dragon, presented in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, slid two pegs to third place in its third week with an ESTIMATED $8.8 million (-50%) at 3,307 theaters (-56 theaters; $2,660 per theater). Its cume is approximately $77.8 million, heading for $100 million. Directed by Brett Ratner, it stars Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson, Mary-Louise Parker and Philip Seymour Hoffman. IFC Films' release of Gold Circle Films and HBO's PG rated romantic comedy blockbuster My Big Fat Greek Wedding rose one slot to fourth place in its 27th week, still showing remarkably strong legs with an ESTIMATED $7.15 million (-15%) at 2,014 theaters (-2 theaters; $3,552 per theater). Its cume is approximately $169.3 million, heading for $185 million in domestic theaters. Directed by Joel Zwick, it stars Nia Vardalos and John Corbett. Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment's PG-13 rated thriller Abandon kicked off in an uneventful fifth place tie with a weak ESTIMATED $5.3 million at 2,341 theaters ($2,264 per theater). Written and directed by Stephen Gaghan, it stars Katie Holmes and Benjamin Bratt. Abandon is another in a series of recent under-performing openings from Paramount. It follows Four Feathers, the romantic historical action epic which opened poorly despite high hopes Sept. 20 to $6.9 million ($3,587 per theater). This summer was a disappointing one for Paramount, which July 19 launched InterMedia Films' expensive Harrison Ford submarine drama K-19: The Widowmaker to a modest $12.8 million ($4,519 per theater). Paramount failed to connect with family audiences earlier in the summer with Nickelodeon Films' animated feature Hey Arnold! The Movie, which opened June 28 to $5.7 million ($2,258 per theater). It did, however, do unexpectedly well, however, Aug. 2 with its late summer opening of the low budget urban appeal concert film Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat, grossing $7.4 million ($9,806 per theater). Fox Searchlight Pictures' PG-13 rated urban appeal romantic comedy Brown Sugar, which was third last week, tied for fifth place in its second week with a much less sweet ESTIMATED $5.3 million (-51%) at 1,378 theaters (+6 theaters; $3,853 per theater). Its cume is approximately $18.6 million. Directed by Rick Famuyiwa, it stars Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan. 20th Century Fox's PG-13 rated action drama The Transporter slipped three notches to seventh place in its second week with a quiet ESTIMATED $5.01 million (-45%) at 2,610 theaters (+37 theaters; $1,920 per theater). Its cume is approximately $17.1 million. Directed by Cory Yuen, it stars Jason Statham and Shu Qi. DreamWorks' PG-13 action comedy The Tuxedo, which was sixth last week, tied for eighth place in its fourth week with an unexciting ESTIMATED $4.1 million (-42%) at 2,424 theaters (-561 theaters; $1,691 per theater). Its cume is approximately $43.1 million. Directed by Kevin Donovan, it stars Jackie Chan and Jennifer Love Hewitt. The G rated animated feature Jonah: A Veggie Tale Movie from Artisan's FHE Pictures and Big Idea Productions, which was eleventh last week, expanded and tied for eighth place in its third week with a still tasty ESTIMATED $4.1 million (+12%) at 1,581 theaters (+407 theaters; $2,593 per theater). Its cume is approximately $16.2 million. Directed by Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki, it was produced by Ameake Owens. "We expanded and we went up in gross, so we're very happy," Artisan distribution head Steve Rothenberg said Sunday morning. "We opened up the eastern seaboard this weekend. Te numbers were very solid in the Philadelphia and the Washington, D.C. branches (and) a little spotty in New England. But the bottom line is, the expansion worked. It helped boost our gross 12 percent from last weekend. We're on our way, hopefully, to around a $25 million gross (in domestic theaters)." Rounding out the Top Ten was Buena Vista/Disney's PG rated fantasy family film Tuck Everlasting, down two slots in its second week with a calm ESTIMATED $3.7 million (-29%) at 1,448 theaters ($2,583 per theater). Its cume is approximately $10.6 million. Directed by Jay Russell, it stars Alexis Bledel, Ben Kingsley, Sissy Spacek, Jonathan Jackson and William Hurt. OTHER OPENINGS This weekend also saw the arrival via Sony's Screen Gems of the action comedy Formula 51 to a disappointing ESTIMATED $2.9 million at 1,857 theaters ($1,562 per theater). Directed by Ronny Yu, it stars Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Carlyle. The film was distributed in the U.S. by Screen Gems and in Canada by Alliance/Atlantis. "It's an acquisition of a film that has already been released in Europe under the title Fifty-First State and had some success in the U.K., but obviously we're disappointed with the results here," Sony Pictures Entertainment worldwide marketing & distribution president Jeff Blake said Sunday morning. Sony, however, won't get hurt by Formula's weak showing. "It is a no cost acquisition where our losses are limited to strictly a modest p&a campaign," Blake said. HBO Films and Newmarket Films' PG-13 rated comedy drama Real Women Have Curves kicked off to a hopeful ESTIMATED $0.18 million at 56 theaters ($3,277 per theater). Directed by Patricia Cardoso, it stars America Ferrera, Lupe Ontiveros and George Lopez. Sony Pictures Classics' R rated drama Auto Focus opened to a solid ESTIMATED $0.14 million at 11 theaters ($12,514 per theater). Directed by Paul Schrader, it stars Greg Kinnear and Willem Dafoe. Lions Gate Films' R rated drama The Grey Zone arrived to a slow ESTIMATED $24,000 at 8 theaters ($2,984 per theater). Written and directed by Tim Blake Nelson, it stars David Arquette, Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel and Mira Sorvino. SNEAK PREVIEWS There were no national sneak previews this weekend. EXPANSIONS On the expansion front this weekend Revolution Studios and Columbia's R rated romantic comedy drama Punch-Drunk Love expanded in its second week to a sizzling ESTIMATED $1.63 million at 78 theaters (+73 theaters; $20,897 per theater). Its cume is approximately $2.2 million. Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, it stars Adam Sandler and Emily Watson. "It seems definitely ready to expand," Sony's Jeff Blake said Sunday. "We're going to expand next week on Oct. 25. We're going to really work on it Monday to try and come up with the right number, but we'll definitely be national. It certainly seems to be a great demand and we'll go out there and see what the right number (of theaters) should be. I would imagine somewhere in the 400 to 500 range. The first two steps have been absolutely spectacular. Certainly, a $20,000 average would be very respectable in step one and to have it in step two in 78 theaters, really including many middle America multiplexes is pretty terrific." United Artists' R rated satiric documentary Bowling For Columbine released via MGM widened in its second week with an outstanding ESTIMATED $0.77 million at 45 theaters (+37 theaters; $16,799 per theater). Its cume is approximately $1.1 million. Written, produced and directed by Michael Moore, it won the Special Jury Prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Bowling will widen to 14 additional markets this Friday (Oct. 25). Buena Vista/ Disney's PG rated animated feature Spirited Away went wider in its fifth week with an okay ESTIMATED $0.5 million (-16%) at 151 theaters (+13 theaters; $3,514 per theater). Its cume is approximately $3.4 million. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, it was the Golden Bear best picture winner at the Berlin International Film Festival. Spirited is the all-time top grossing film at the Japanese box office. United Artists' R rated dark comedy Igby Goes Down added one more theater in its fifth week with an okay ESTIMATED $0.35 million (-20%) at 156 theaters (+1 theater; $2,250 per theater). Its cume is approximately $3.8 million. Written and directed by Burr Steers, it stars Kieran Culkin, Claire Danes, Jeff Goldblum, Jared Harris, Amanda Peet, Ryan Phillippe, Bill Pullman and Susan Sarandon. Igby will expand this Friday (Oct. 25) into another 12 markets, putting it in 168 theaters. Paramount Classics' R rated drama Bloody Sunday expanded in its third week to a grim ESTIMATED $0.1 million at 44 theaters (+31 theaters; $2,370 per theater). Its cume is approximately $0.2 million. Written and directed by Paul Greengrass, it stars James Nesbitt. Warner Bros.' R rated crime comedy Welcome To Collinwood widened in its third week to a calm ESTIMATED $38,000 at 21 theaters (+9 theaters; $1,795 per theater). Its cume is approximately $0.2 million. Written and directed by Anthony & Joe Russo, it stars William H. Macy, Isaiah Washington and Sam Rockwell. INTERNATIONAL Revolution Studios and Columbia's blockbuster XXX scored well at the international box office this weekend. Directed by Rob Cohen and produced by Neal H. Moritz, it stars Vin Diesel, Asia Argento and Marton Csokas. XXX has grossed about $141 million in domestic theaters. "It was a very big weekend for XXX internationally," Sony Pictures Entertainment worldwide marketing & distribution president Jeff Blake said Sunday morning. "It opened number one in the U.K., Germany and Spain over the weekend. It did $5.2 million in the U.K., which is very big, and $4.7 million in Germany, which also is very big. Nine territories opened this weekend and all nine were number one." XXX, Blake pointed out, has "now had 40 number one openings around the world. We're at $56 million (internationally now), so we're approaching $200 million worldwide. And with Japan and others still to come, it looks like we'll be at about $300 million worldwide." WEEKEND COMPARISONS Key films -- those grossing more than $500,000 -- took in approximately $84.28 million for the weekend, up about 8.11 percent from last year when they totaled $77.96 million. Key films were down about 16.22 percent from the previous weekend this year when they totaled $100.6 million. Last year, Fox's opening week of From Hell was first with $11.01 million at 2,305 theaters ($4,779 per theater); and Sony's opening week of Riding In Cars With Boys was second with $10.4 million at 2,770 theaters ($3,756 per theater). The top two films one year ago grossed $21.4 million. This year, the top two films grossed an ESTIMATED $24.6 million.
