Once again, the Sacha Baron Cohen creation, Borat, has topped the box office charts. Fox has got to be happy with the return on that investment. They worked a thing of magic with the build-up and anticipation of the release of the film last week, coaxing it to the top spot amidst excellent reviews and tales of sold out theaters around the country. This week they rolled the movie out to three times as many theaters and managed to grab an even bigger piece of the pie. Its per screen average dropped from $30,000 to $11,000, but no matter, it clearly topped the top ten. I have yet to see the film, but rest assured I will.

While Borat took the top spot, the first two runners up were exactly the same as last week. Both the number two and three films posted very slight decreases in their box office take. Number two was the home for The Santa Clause 3; granted it is not a terribly good film, but it is a strong draw for families. Speaking of families, the number three film also pulls from that demographic, only without the holiday slant. Flushed Away hung on, nearly taking the number two place, narrowly missing it by just $321,000.

There were three new releases entering the charts, and one film that went wide which pushed it way up the list. The top new release was the Will Ferrell vehicle Stranger Than Fiction, a movie that has received some good reviews, some going as far as to suggest possible awards season nominations for Ferrell. The other two newcomers pulled up the rear at nine and ten; they were The Return and A Good Year, respectively. I must voice an opinion regarding the former — it is a dull, dry, and pointless film that seems destined for the year's worst lists (more on this to come in the near future). Then there is Ridley Scott's latest, a film that has not been received all too kindly.

The last new entry to the list is the excellent, if a touch long, Babel. I am still seeking to absorb it and collect my thoughts, but I loved how the threads all tied together. It is a fascinating tapestry of life, a life that is not necessarily pretty, but does ring true on some levels.

Four films dropped from the list this week: Flags of Our Fathers (11), The Queen (12), Man of the Year (14), and Open Season (15).

Box Office Predictions Recap
And another one bites the dust. Another week, another set of incorrect predictions. I am glad to say that none of them were as nearly as bad as my gross underestimation of Borat last week when it dominated the box office on its modest release. This week it tripled its number of theaters and managed to increase its take from last week; sure, the per screen average took a dip, but it remained at a respectable level. Actually, more than respectable as it was nearly double its nearest competition. For the week I got two positions correct, numbers one and six, and three grosses in the near ballpark, with Borat hitting the closest.