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Leonard Klady

By Leonard Klady Klady@moviecitynews.com

Posted Sunday, February 8th, 2009 - Comments Off on Sweet Coraline … So Into You
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Sweet Coraline … So Into You

The debut of rom-com He’s Just Not That Into You led the frame with an estimated $27.9 million. Three other films bowed this weekend to varying results including a sturdy start for the 3-D animated Coraline of $16.3 million that ranked third overall. There was OK response of $9.9 million for the thriller Push but in light of cost and awareness, The Pink Panther 2gross of $11.8 was viewed as disappointing.

Among regional and niche newcomers the Quebec political thriller Polytechnique got off to a fast start with a $400,000 box office from 42 venues while the geek comedy Fanboys had just fair response of $173,000 in 44 engagements. The Oscar nominated shorts package generated $112,000 in 22 exposures.

Overall business saw significant expansion; recording a record gross for the weekend between the Super Bowl and the upcoming President’s Day holiday session.

The star-studded He’s Just Not That Into You was tracking considerably ahead of the pack going into its Friday launch. Exit polls indicated a stronger than usual 80% female audience and in light of such recent distaff tilting fare as Sex and the City and Mamma Mia!, the prospects for commercial legs are excellent.

The rather unsettling Coraline tapped into a considerably broader audience than the typical animated film. It also buttressed the commercial magnetism of the revived 3D effect with 44% of its playdates in that format generating more than 70% of its opening box office.

The sci-fi tinged thriller Push provided something for the young male audience while The Pink Panther 2 split its audience 55%-45% in favor of women. The second Steve Martin Panther had an opening salvo that was 40% lower than the 2006 installment and that’s likely to put the future of the franchise under the bean counter’s microscope.

Weekend revenues approached $155 million for a 21% boost from last weekend’s Super Bowl weekend. It was also up a sizeable 41% from 2008 when openings of Fool’s Gold and Welcome Home Roscoe Carmichael topped the chart with respective grosses of $21.6 million and $16.2 million.

Holdovers were also unusually resilient with last weekend’s chart topper Taken just 18% diminished, Gran Torino down 13% and Paul Blart: Mall Cop a mere 20% off its game. Blart could cross the $100 million threshold as early as Friday.

With Oscar two weeks in the offing, only Slumdog Millionaire is drawing in audiences among contenders in wide release. Its status as the “picture to beat” has propelled it along to what will be a domestic box office of more than $100 million. Niche beneficiaries of award largesse include The Class and Waltz with Bashir — both competing in the foreign-language category.

– Leonard Klady

Weekend Finals – February 6-8, 2009

Title Distrib Weekend % Change Theaters Cume Wks
1 New He’s Just Not That Into You WB 27,785,487 – 3175 27,785,487 1
2 1 Taken Fox 20,547,346 -17% 3184 53,610,944 2
3 New Coraline Focus 16,849,640 – 2299 16,849,640 1
4 New The Pink Panther 2 Sony 11,588,150 – 3243 11,588,150 1
5 2 Paul Blart: Mall Cop Sony 10,884,825 -21% 3169 96,886,687 4
6 New Push Summit 10,079,109 – 2313 10,079,109 1
7 6 Slumdog Millionaire Fox Searchlight 7,177,270 -6% 1724 77,203,055 13
8 5 Gran Torino WB 7,155,339 -13% 2705 120,195,197 9
9 3 The Uninvited Par 6,262,651 -39% 2344 18,242,141 2
10 4 Hotel for Dogs Par 5,711,229 -34% 2734 55,125,062 4
11 7 Underworld: Rise of the Lycans Sony 4,083,369 -46% 2042 39,841,908 3
12 8 New in Town Lions Gate 3,228,190 -52% 1941 11,856,481 2
13 11 Curious Case of Benjamin Button Par 2,302,188 -35% 1478 119,950,285 7
14 15 The Reader Weinstein Co. 2,275,489 -4% 862 16,033,070 9
15 16 The Wrestler Fox Searchlight 2,207,555 -5% 754 16,170,788 8
16 9 My Bloody Valentine 3D Lions Gate 1,856,829 -58% 671 48,182,383 4
17 13 Revolutionary Road Par Vantage 1,670,594 -37% 935 18,738,643 7
18 12 Bride Wars Fox 1,500,029 -57% 1097 56,244,349 5
19 14 Defiance Par Vantage 1,393,322 -44% 858 25,196,967 6
20 10 Inkheart WB 1,231,458 -67% 1175 14,885,535 3
21 18 Milk Focus 1,125,312 -24% 601 25,257,922 11
22 19 Frost/Nixon Uni 771,985 -45% 478 15,651,111 10
23 23 Doubt Miramax 722,534 -14% 401 29,103,495 9
24 17 Notorious Fox Searchlight 628,621 -63% 440 36,214,659 5
25 20 Last Chance Harvey Overture 576,363 -53% 448 12,796,195 7
26 24 Twilight Summit 480,388 -23% 326 187,748,420 12
27 22 Marley and Me Fox 455,301 -53% 450 140,548,943 7
28 21 The Unborn Uni 393,830 -68% 388 42,005,890 5
29 33 Yes Man WB 368,395 77% 345 96,302,759 8
30 26 The Dark Knight WB 353,826 -19% 188 532,831,967 30
31 New Polytechnique Alliance 286,944 – 35 286,944 1
32 29 Madagascar: Escape to Africa Par 247,079 -24% 240 179,606,381 14
33 25 Bedtime Stories BV 244,664 -56% 265 108,927,068 7
34 30 The Tale of Despereaux Uni 223,560 -3% 276 50,176,530 8
35 27 Valkyrie MGM 206,382 -49% 258 82,019,420 7
36 28 Not Easily Broken Sony 184,751 -50% 148 10,572,742 5
37 36 Entre les murs (The Class) Sony Classics 180,590 16% 27 575,846 4
38 New Fanboys Weinstein Co. 171,533 – 44 171,533 1
39 New 2008 Academy Awards Shorts Magnolia 150,203 – 41 150,203 1
40 37 The Day the Earth Stood Still Fox 147,608 15% 196 78,980,521 9
41 35 Waltz with Bashir Sony Class/E1 137,749 -12% 46 1,216,131 7
42 31 Rachel Getting Married Sony Classics 133,042 -40% 95 11,892,890 19
43 34 Australia Fox 127,375 -26% 178 49,181,873 11
44 New Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam Lorve/Sri Films 123,942 – 18 123,942 1
45 38 Bolt BVI 111,175 -9% 132 113,120,614 12
46 32 Lucky by Chance Adlabs 78,787 -64% 49 326,187 2
47 42 Che IFC 76,313 -3% 24 1,146,142 9
48 39 Quantum of Silence Sony 67,433 -40% 131 168,677,105 13
49 40 Seven Pounds Sony 52,182 -46% 72 70,239,318 8
50 46 Wendy and Lucy Oscilloscope 44,501 -2% 20 309,349 9
51 43 Beverly Hills Chihuahua BV 43,605 -35% 97 94,558,007 19
52 51 I’ve Loved You So Long Sony Classics 42,575 33% 28 2,714,372 21
53 44 Transporter 3 Lions Gate 40,769 -33% 113 32,180,954 11
54 45 Arundhati Ficus 33,333 -42% 10 282,543 3
55 41 Four Christmases WB 33,156 -61% 87 120,136,047 11
56 49 Let the Right One In Magnolia 32,333 -15% 28 1,882,159 16
57 52 Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure NatGeo 30,747 2% 15 20,773,585 71
58 54 Dolphins and Whales 3D 3D Entertainment 30,578 8% 10 5,409,382 52
59 53 Fly Me to the Moon Summit 30,460 4% 11 12,832,745 26
60 RE Frozen River Sony Classics 29,439 – 25 2,385,656 28
61 58 Magnificent Desolation Imax 27,325 49% 7 27,424,922 177
62 47 Role Models Uni 27,103 -38% 59 67,387,671 14
63 55 Synedoche, New York Sony Classics 26,745 3% 25 3,010,278 16
64 50 Happy-Go-Lucky Miramax 25,120 -31% 26 3,683,593 18
65 59 Space Station 3D Imax 24,459 36% 7 77,549,492 256
66 57 Roving Mars BV 19,798 8% 7 9,986,412 159
67 56 Vicky Christina Barcelona Weinstein Co. 17,743 -13% 15 23,191,990 26
Source: EDI/MCN

Estimates – February 6 – 8, 2009

Title Distributor Gross (avera % change Theaters Cume
He’s Just Not that Into You WB 27.9 (8,790) – 3175 27.9
Taken Fox 20.3 (6,380) -18% 3184 53.4
Coraline Focus 16.3 (7,090) – 2298 16.3
The Pink Panther 2 Sony 11.8 (3,640) – 3243 11.8
Paul Bart: Mall Cop Sony 11.1 (3,510) -20% 3169 97.1
Push Summit 9.9 (4,290) – 2313 9.9
Slumdog Millionaire Fox Searchlight 7.3 (4,250) -4% 1724 77.4
Gran Torino WB 7.2 (2,660) -13% 2705 120.2
The Uninvited Par 6.3 (2,700) -39% 2344 18.3
Hotel for Dogs Par 5.7 (2,080) -34% 2734 55.1
Underworld 3 Sony 3.8 (1,850) -50% 2042 39.5
New in Town Lions Gate 3.2 (1,660) -52% 1941 11.9
Curious Case of Benjamin Button Par 2.4 (1,610) -33% 1478 120
The Reader Weinstein Co. 2.2 (2,580) -7% 862 16
The Wrestler Fox Searchlight 2.1 (2,800) -8% 756 16.1
My Blood Valentine 3D Lions Gate 1.8 (2,700) -60% 671 48.1
Revolutionary Road Par Vantage 1.6 (1,760) -39% 935 18.7
Bride Wars Fox 1.5 (1,350) -58% 1097 56.2
Defiance Par Vantage 1.3 (1,500) -48% 858 25.1
Inkheart WB 1.2 (990) -69% 1175 14.8
Milk Focus 1.0 (1,730) -30% 601 25.2
Frost/Nixon Uni .74 (1,550) -47% 478 15.6
Doubt Miramax .71 (1,770) -15% 401 29.1
Notorious Fox Searchlight .61 (1,390) -64% 440 36.2
Last Chance Harvey Overture .54 (1,210) -56% 448 12.8
Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) – $148.50 – – –
% Change (Last Year) – 41% – – –
% Change (Last Week) – 21% – – –
Also debuting/expanding
Polytechnique Alliance .40 (9,620) – 42 0.4
Fanboys Weinstein Co. .17 (3,930) – 44 0.17
The Class Sony Class/E1 .17 (7,210) 12% 24 0.56
Waltz with Bashir Sony Class/E1 .14 (1,960) -10% 48 1.2
Academy Award Shorts Magnolia .11 (5,090) – 22 0.11
Chocolate Magnolia 3,100 (1,550) – 2 0.01
Absurdistan First Run 1,400 (1,400) – 1 0.01

Domestic Market Share – January 1 – 29, 2009

Distributor (releases) Gross Mrkt Share
Fox (5) 170.9 15.90%
Warner Bros. (11) 165.8 15.40%
Sony (6) 160.3 14.90%
Paramount (5) 130.4 12.10%
Fox Searchlight (4) 96.4 8.90%
Universal (5) 69.4 6.40%
Lionsgate (4) 62.2 5.80%
Buena Vista (5) 61.6 5.70%
MGM (3) 41.1 3.80%
Paramount Vantage (2) 40.5 3.80%
Miramax (3) 17.4 1.60%
Summit (2) 16.9 1.60%
Weinstein Co. (4) 12.8 1.20%
Overture (2) 12.3 1.10%
Focus (1) 9.5 0.90%
Other * (31) 10.2 0.90%
* none greater than 0.35% 1077.7 100.00%

Top Domestic Grossers – January 1 – February 5, 2009

Title Distributor Gross
Gran Torino * WB 107,158,765
Paul Blart: Mall Cop Sony 86,001,862
Marley and Me * Fox 67,649,571
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button * Par 64,981,949
Bride Wars Fox 54,744,320
Bedtime Stories * BV 51,981,492
Hotel for Dogs Par 49,413,833
Slumdog Millionaire * Fox Searchlight 47,798,423
My Bloody Valentine 3D Lionsgate 46,325,554
The Unborn Uni 41,612,060
Valkyrie * MGM 40,911,180
Yes Man * WB 35,904,774
Notorious Fox Searchlight 35,586,038
Underground: Rise of the Lycans Sony 35,758,539
Taken Fox 33,063,598
Seven Pounds * Sony 24,248,151
Defiance Par Vantage 23,803,645
Revolutionary Road * Par Vantage 16,754,580
Twilight * Summit

16,595,056
Doubt * Mrmx 16,570,206

* does not include 2008 box office
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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?

So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.

And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.

There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.

I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.

So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.

But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”

My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher

“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.

~ David Simon