Fortunately, this week did not end up like last week. The box office was a little bit stronger. Instead of having the number 1 film under $9 million, there was a surge that pushed two films over the $10 million mark.
The top film this week was the inspirational football drama Gridiron Gang. There was no doubt this was going to come out on top. The combination of the mass attraction to such sports movies, and the number of theaters it opened on teamed up to almost guarantee a number one finish. As for the film, it is actually pretty good. It is a gritty look into the effect that one man can have, that he can make a difference. It is a bit cliche, but it works.
Right behind it are two more debuting films, The Black Dahlia and Everyone's Hero. They are right where I thought they would be, only swapped. Dahlia was second, and is a visually stunning film whose plot is held together by a tenuous string. Hero, I haven't seen, although I have read that it did not hold much for adults.
The final new release to crack the top ten is the Zach Braff-starring relationship drama, The Last Kiss. It is an excellent film that may not tread much in the way of new ground, but is structured in a wonderfully lyrical fashion.
Of the returning films, Hollywoodland fared the worst, dropping over 54%. That is a shame, as it is a quality film. Does anyone know what is keeping people away? Surely it can't just be Affleck - he was good in this movie. At the same time movies like The Covenant, while not tearing up the box office, still draws in more. I guess I shouldn't complain, I spent my money and saw both of them - it just makes one wonder.
Article comments
1 - MCH
I was really surprised with the quality of "Gridiron Gangs"...I went expecting to see a 4 or 5 (average) on a scale of 1-10, and watched instead about a 6 or 7...I was especially impressed with Rock's performance, although I got the sense he was playing himself...