Box Office Update 12/1-12/3: Can't Stop Happy Feet or Bond

For three weeks, the same pair of films have reigned supreme above all others. It hasn't even been all that close during that span. Sure, the gap has been shrinking between these two and the rest of the field, but the gap is still in the multi-million range. Before Happy Feet and Casino Royale came out, I would not have believed that they would both be doing this well. After seeing the two of them, I am very happy to see it. Both of them are very good films, in particular Casino Royale which has begun a Bond Renaissance. I can't wait to see what they do next.

This week featured the release of three new films to the nationwide release platform. None of them have proven to be much of a box office threat. The highest ranking of the three is the Biblically themed film The Nativity Story. This tells the story of the first Christmas, and is rather mediocre in its execution. The public responded to it in kind with a lukewarm response, a response I am sure the studio's not terribly happy with. Move all the way down to eighth and you will find the lame torture flick Turistas. It is marketed like another version of Hostel, but is more like Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. It just does not deliver the bloody goods. Slip down a little further and you will find the Van Wilder sequel, focusing on Kal Penn's Taj character, placing tenth. The movie is a muddled mess that would be completely worthless were it not for a pair of lovely ladies and the presence of Penn.

All of the returning films took pretty steep hits this weekend. Stranger Than Fiction actually held onto the best portion of its audience with its 41.4% drop, while Borat dropped the most at 54% down from last week. I think that Cohen's comedy has seen its better days, and it will start to drop pretty quick.

Article Author: Chris Beaumont

Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about music and movies when he isn't indulging in them. He is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Follow: Twitter and Tumblr. Visit: Critical Outcast. …

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