Last week proved to be one of the weakest turnouts in years. The top film failed to crack the $10 million barrier; will this weekends offerings follow suit? I tend to think not, but I do not believe the margin will be all that great. This weekend has films targeting a few different demographics, which will likely help the overall box office this week.

The Black Dahlia. (2006, 119 minutes, R, thriller, trailer) The latest from Brian De Palma looks fantastic. It is quite possibly my most anticipated film this weekend. It is another film based on a true story, but doesn't hide the fictional background of this account. It concerns the murder of an up and coming starlet in Hollywood, murdered in a terribly gruesome manner. To this day the murder has never been solved. The cast includes Josh Hartnett, Scarlet Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, and Mia Kershner as the victim.

Everyone's Hero. (2006, 88 minutes, G, adventure/comedy, trailer) A young boy embarks on a quest to find Babe Ruth's bat and return it to him before the deciding game of the 1932 World Series. I like some of what I've seen and some I don't. I like baseball, I like the look, and I like the setting. I don't like how broad it seems to be in its comedy, what with the talking ball and bat. I am willing to give it a shot, and hopefully I won't be disappointed.

Gridiron Gang. (2006, 120 minutes, PG-13, drama, trailer) The second "based on a true story" movie to come out this week. This one stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Sean Porter, a probation officer who starts a football team at the detention center as a way to help turn troubled youth around. Not a terribly original one, and it has yet to be seen if the inspirational quotient will reach that of the recent Disney football movie, Invincible. The movie co-stars Xzibit, and was direct by Phil Joanou.

The Last Kiss. (2006, 115 minutes, R, drama, trailer) Zach Braff returns to the big screen for the first time since 2004's Garden State. He isn't directing this time around, he instead stars for director Tony Goldwyn. The film tells the story of a group of friends on the cusp of their 30s and the transition to full fledged adults, from the freedom of youth. The screenplay was written by Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby, Crash), based on the film L'Ultimo bacio.

House of Sand. (2006, 114 minutes, R, drama, trailer) This film from Brazil is beginning a run at the local arthouse. It covers a span of 60 years which finds Aurea and her mother abandoned in the deserts of northern Brazil, where they befriend a man who lives among a group of escaped slaves in the unforgiving climate. It tells a story of the bonds between mother and daughter. Honestly, this sounds awfully dull.

Also opening this week, but not near me:

• Al Franken: God Spoke
• Artie Lange's Beer League
• Aurora Borealis
• Confetti
• The Ground Truth
• Haven
• Jesus Camp
• Keeping Mum
• The US vs. John Lennon
• Zen Noir

Box Office Predictions

This week, I have absolutely no idea. Following the incredibly weak weekend we had last week, it's anybody's guess where this weekend will go. I do think that the top film will top the $10 million mark. Here are my guesstimations:

What are you seeing this weekend?