Four new ones this week, all wishing and hoping to knock Talladega Nights off the perch. None of them will do so, mostly because none of them are giant comedies in the same vein as Talladega. To break down the cannon fodder we’ve got one teen special (Step Up), one horrific looking kid flick (Zoom), one tragedy that deserves Oscar love (World Trade Center) and one former Japanese horror remade for the U.S. (Pulse). Thus concludes the longest sentence ever, a brilliant segue to projecting where this weekend will lead us.
#1 movie predicted correctly: Seven Weeks In A Row
1. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby $25.3m
The people have spoken, and they have deemed big Willy marketable. He carried this one like Moses carried those Jewish folks through the desert.
2. World Trade Center $19.7m
If this doesn’t open well we may not see another 9/11 movie for a decade. I have to believe all the publicity will pay off, but this is the biggest wildcard of the weekend.
3. Step Up $13.7m
This plot looks dreadful but I won’t fault a teen audience for wanting to see some hardcore dancing. I myself remember when Lambada: The Forbidden Dance came out and I was all up in there.
4. Pulse $9.3m
This one kept getting delayed, and let me let you in on an insider secret; in most cases delays mean they are too ashamed to release it. Another in a long string of Weinstein winners.
5. Barnyard $7.3m
Right now I am on a cruise ship heading to Bermuda and there are some INBRED looking kids on this thing. I’ve got to think these kids make up the bulk of Barnyard‘s core audience so it will be hurt by all of them being on this boat.
6. Zoom 7.3m
I don’t think they screened it which would be a clear case of mercy. It’s like if someone refused to offer you a slap across the face. You just keep quiet and thank your lucky stars.
7. The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest $6.5
It finally takes a dip towards the bottom after a long and profitable run. I think the third one will break every record known to man including the 63 game hitting streak by Joltin’ Joe.
8. The Descent $4.6m
Pulse should hurt it quite a bit because there is rarely enough business for two horror films on the same board. This would be the opposite of kid’s films, probably because not enough parents take their kids to watch horror.
9. Miami Vice $4.5m
One more week and then flushed out of the top ten. Does this blotch take Michael Mann out of the “must see” list? I don’t think so, everyone is entitled to one mistake.
10. John Tucker Must Die $3.3m
The new movie book is coming, and it will be better than ever. Stay tuned. -Laremy
