SATURDAY NIGHT: There is something for everyone at America's multiplexes and arthouses as we roll into 2008, and a fair number of both the wide release and specialty films are performing well.
THURSDAY NIGHT: Nicolas Cage's National Treasure: Book of Secrets (Disney) continued its holiday domination with a $9.52 million Thursday, down 17 percent from the day after Christmas. The sequel about treasure hunter Ben Gates has posted an estimated seven-day total of $86.43 million. Treasure has generated the sixth-best seven-day gross in modern box office history, about $7.5 million stronger than last year's mega-hit Night at the Museum, which went on to a $250 million domestic gross.
"Ta ta ... ta ta ... trtrtrtrttrr ta ta ... Ta tatata ... tatatatatata ... Trrrtatata tatata tatatatata ..." Greetings everyone, and welcome to your weekly appointment with independent cinema! If you recognized the 20th Century Fox fanfare, then you probably spend too much time thinking about movie, because even though I just typed the darn thing, I wouldn't have recognized it myself. Of course, if you could hear me sing it ... well, in fact, no, that would have been even worse. Anyway, this well known introduction was supposed to launch my Dances with the Arthouse Look Back at 2007 with panache. I guess I'll blame my French accent for the false start.
Hello again, and welcome to a special edition of Bard's Eye View, where I, your humble columnist, will be taking a look back at the year that was, running down the list of films that, to put it mildly, failed. Failed to draw an audience, failed to live up to expectations, or failed to do anything but waste two hours of many moviegoers' lives. Whether you are an avid film buff whose list of films seen this year is close to (or over) the three-digit mark, or whether you are a workaholic who only has time to catch one or two flicks a year, and are currently reading this on your five-minute lunch break, I bid you welcome. Take a deep breath, pal, it's Fantasy Moguls, it's not rocket surgery. (Wink.)
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: With National Treasure: Book of Secrets (Disney) continuing strong with another $11.47 million on the day after Christmas, the focus is on three Christmas Day openers that plummeted precipitously on Wednesday.
MONDAY NIGHT: Christmas Eve is never a big day at America's multiplexes, but Monday was considerably stronger than Dec. 24, 2006. The top movie last year was Night at the Museum with $5.7 million. By comparison, National Treasure: Book of Secrets (Disney) has registered an $8.4 million estimated haul. The latest adventure of treasure hunter Ben Gates has now raked in $54.6 million in four days.
FINAL SUNDAY AND 3-DAY ESTIMATES
(As of Sunday night)
Greetings everyone, bitter 2007 film buffs disappointed with the year that is coming to an end, or satisfied spectators ready to embark on another exciting year in movies. 2008 is approaching, and, in Fantasy Moguls, just as in Hollywood, there are no weeks off. Films keep opening, players keep strategizing and columnists keep ... well ... columning. (Oh come on, that could be a word!).
Continue reading "DANCES WITH THE ARTHOUSE: The Long Dark January of the Independent Soul" »
Greetings, Moguls! I'd greet you in my usual, more booming superhero voice, but shhh! Be vewwy, vewwy, quiet! I'm hunting wabbits ... er, chipmunks. The big surprise at America's multiplexes over the weekend was undoubtedly the spectacular debut of Alvin and the Chipmunks — those who had the foresight to put it on their slates were treated to a whopping $44 million opening weekend and a solid second-place finish. To be honest, that's about three times as much revenue as I'd expected for opening weekend. And all that for just $12 (Ultimate Movie Moguls) or $17 (Box Office Moguls), depending on which league type you prefer!
Hello once again, and welcome back to the little corner of the Fantaverse that we call Bard's Eye View, where prognostications fall like so many snowflakes onto your virtual driveway, to be swept into the street at your leisure. Or, you could take said advice, roll it up into a really big ball, and lob it at your opponents with a war cry that would make William Wallace proud — it's your choice. Whether you are a precocious 8-year-old stuck inside your house because your family abandoned you on their vacation, or whether you're a thief who's had the misfortune to take hostage the most dysfunctional family in all of Connecticut, I bid you welcome. (I know you've all seen Home Alone, but if you haven't treated yourself to The Ref at least once, you're really missing out.) Grab some fresh hot cocoa, put on some old Boston Pops record, put your feet up. Are we sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin ... (wink.)
