edited by Jonathan Doyle

Mafioso (The Criterion Collection, 3.18.2008) Nino Badalamenti is a supervisor in a car manufacturing plant who hasn't taken a vacation in over two years. On his way out the door to visit his beloved childhood hometown of Sicily -- with his blonde wife and daughters -- Nino is handed a package by his boss and asked to deliver it to a powerful and influential Sicilian gangster named Don Vincenzo. Once in Sicily, Nino has a hoot seeing friends and family, but his wife has trouble fitting in and is unfairly dismissed as a snob by Nino's family. Even more worrisome, Nino finds himself entangled in an intricate web of secret mafioso dealings and is eventually sent on an unexpectedly... elaborate errand. (continued)

Upcoming

July 2

Hancock

July 3

The Whackness

July 4

Diminished Capacity

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson

Holding Trevor

Kabluey

We are Together

July 9

Full Battle Rattle

July 11

A Man Named Pearl

August

Eight Miles High

Garden Party

Harold

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Meet Dave

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

The Stone Angel

July 18

A Very British Gangster

Before I Forget

The Dark Knight

The Doorman

Felon

Lou Reed's Berlin

Transsiberian

July 22

Two Tickets to Paradise

July 23

Boy A

Weekend numbers

email this story
read comments (28)
post a comment

Ratatouille, the weekend's #1 film, is projected to tally $48,406,000, having earned $16,075,000 on Friday. Yes, that makes it the softest Pixar opening since 1988's A Bug's Life, but that's to be expected with such a relatively exotic and sophisticated subject (the travails of a French rat who wants to be a chef). But it's going to show legs once people see it and talk it up.

Live Free or Die Hard did a little over $10 million last night -- figure $30.8 million for the weekend and a five-day cume of $45.8 milliion -- hjgher than expected.

Evan Almighty will do $15,947, 000, which is a 49% drop from last weekend. It cost $200 million-plus and it's not going to make $100 million at this rate. The likelihood is that it'll come in closer to $80 or $85 million all in.

1408 will earn $11 million this weekend, down 40% from last weekend's debut. Not bad

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer will end up with $8,188,000 -- why do people keep going to this thing? Knocked Up will come in sixth with $7,450,000. Oceans 13 is seventh with a projected $5,995,000. Pirates 3 will be eighth with $4,775,000. Evening will be ninth with $3,918,000 and $4000 a print -- not going anywhere.

Sicko is tenth with a projected $3,916,000, or .just under 9000 a print. I'm told that the Weinsteiners were looking for $6 or $7 million. They just need to build this thing and circulate the word.

The second week of A Mighty Heart will bring it about $1,607,000, off 55% La Vie en Rose is still doing pretty well with over $7 million now -- good for subtitled film You Kill Me did about 156,000 last night.

Tom DeSanto on "Transformers"<< previous | next >>Cruise, Germany, Singer

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on June 30, 2007 at 10:52 AM

comment #1

PanTheFaun says ...

Wells, your assessment of "Ratatouille" seems to imply that you've seen it. Have you?

Posted by PanTheFaun at June 30, 2007 11:39 AM

comment #2

Ogami Itto says ...

In a previous post(s) Wells said that he has indeed seen it. The post was in response to David Poland's ecstatic review of the film.

Posted by Ogami Itto at June 30, 2007 11:54 AM

comment #3

cjKennedy says ...

Why is a movie about a rat that wants to be a chef in a fancy French restaurant a hard sell? It's funny see, 'cause he's a rat and it's a fancy French restaurant... Right? No?

Yeah, I know rats are generally undesireable creatures, but it's an animated rat who appears to be quite hygenic and loveable. This isn't Willard for chrissakes.

Posted by cjKennedy at June 30, 2007 11:57 AM

comment #4

BurmaShave says ...

It's sad no one remembers A BUG'S LIFE when they talk about Pixar. Pretty excellent film. Hardly a sophomore slump. Spacey's voice work was one of his finest performances, and the animation is truly beautiful.

By the way, where is this idea coming from that you can't merchandise plush rats and toys when we've been worshiping at the altar of a mouse for 70 years?

Posted by BurmaShave at June 30, 2007 12:01 PM

comment #5

The Winchester says ...

It's the softest Pixar opening, but it will also play to high numbers every day next week with the holiday. It will still be a solid performer.

Posted by The Winchester at June 30, 2007 12:03 PM

comment #6

bobby1976 says ...

RIP Joel Siegel

Posted by bobby1976 at June 30, 2007 12:28 PM

comment #7

Michael says ...

Burma, it is my favorite Pixar film. Spacey's Hopper is the best.

Posted by Michael at June 30, 2007 12:31 PM

comment #8

D.Z. says ...

cjkennedy: "Yeah, I know rats are generally undesireable creatures, but it's an animated rat who appears to be quite hygenic and loveable."

That didn't help Secret of Nimh.

Burma: "It's sad no one remembers A BUG'S LIFE when they talk about Pixar. Pretty excellent film."

That Ten Commandments knock-off with Val Kilmer got all the glory that year. Plus it was the beginning of Dreamworks' plan of, "If you can't beat them, put out the same thing within a year of them and advertise it more than the other guy." Hence we got Antz.

Posted by D.Z. at June 30, 2007 12:46 PM

comment #9

Josh Massey says ...

The Die Hard gross is a double-edged sword. It means that we'll likely get Die Hard 5, which I'd welcome, but it also means we're going to stay in PG-13 territory.

And based on media attention, scrutiny and hype, I can't help but see how Sicko's gross is anything but an out-and-out disappointment.

Posted by Josh Massey at June 30, 2007 01:14 PM

comment #10

BurmaShave says ...

SICKO was only released in 400 theaters (or so I've read), but I agree it's underwhelming. Was it the torrents or the VAST RIGHT-WING CONSPIRACY? It's a shame though, I hope word of mouth gives it life. Truly one of the best films of the year.

Posted by BurmaShave at June 30, 2007 01:38 PM

comment #11

cjKennedy says ...

Assuming you're correct Josh, the question is: does that mean people don't think there is a health care crisis or are they just tired of Michael Moore?

Posted by cjKennedy at June 30, 2007 01:41 PM

comment #12

Josh Massey says ...

I think it's people not wanting to see a movie about a health care crisis. Based on that number, not even many of Moore's fans do.

Posted by Josh Massey at June 30, 2007 02:26 PM

comment #13

BurmaShave says ...

9000 per screen average. Just saying.

Posted by BurmaShave at June 30, 2007 02:33 PM

comment #14

Undercover Brother says ...

People aren't going back to see "FF4." The weekend before last it made nearly 60 million. Last week it was about 20, now it's down to 8. After this weekend it's gone and so is the franchise.

There's a TV show or a straight to DVD movie in the future for this terrible franchise. In this day and age unless your name is Lucas, you can only burn the audience two times before they get wise and kick you to the curb.

But what does it say about the audience that you can burn them twice?

Posted by Undercover Brother at June 30, 2007 02:53 PM

comment #15

MathewM says ...

I don't think Sicko will perform well. There's no real reason to pay money to see something that has been summarized ad nauseam by the media for the past month. The hype may have back fired this time. Also while a lot of people think health care is in a crisis who really wants to pay to see a movie about it? Great Frontline material though...

Posted by MathewM at June 30, 2007 04:19 PM

comment #16

jeffmcm says ...

DZ, you dimwit, the rats are the bad guys in The Secret of NIMH. And you to call The Prince of Egypt a "Ten Commandments knock-off" is incorrect and stupid.

Posted by jeffmcm at June 30, 2007 04:50 PM

comment #17

PanTheFaun says ...

"Sicko" is a very good movie, by far Moore's best (not saying terribly much, I know), and "Ratatouille" is a truly great one.

I know they'll thrive on positive word-of-mouth, but it's a shame they're performing below expectations.

Posted by PanTheFaun at June 30, 2007 05:06 PM

comment #18

Azree says ...

jeffmcm, you dimwit, the rats were the bad guys AND the good guys in the Secret of NIMH. The good rats helped the mouse move her house.

Posted by Azree at June 30, 2007 05:20 PM

comment #19

BurmaShave says ...

I do like the "Ten Commandments knock-off" line. I wonder if he's ever heard of The Bible.

PanTheFaun, while I agree SICKO may be Moore's best, FAHRENHEIT 9/11 was in many ways shallow and overcooked but BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE was a masterpiece. One of the great time capsules of our age.

Posted by BurmaShave at June 30, 2007 06:09 PM

comment #20

jeffmcm says ...

Azree, you're right, but DZ is still a dimwit on multiple levels. Secret of NIMH was about mice in addition to rats. Ratatoille is about kitchen rats and it's already made 2 or 3 times what NIMH grossed in its lifetime.

Posted by jeffmcm at June 30, 2007 08:05 PM

comment #21

D.Z. says ...

Josh: "The Die Hard gross is a double-edged sword. It means that we'll likely get Die Hard 5,"

If they make a Die Hard 5, it'll end up straight-to-video.

Burma: "SICKO was only released in 400 theaters (or so I've read), but I agree it's underwhelming. Was it the torrents or the VAST RIGHT-WING CONSPIRACY?"

Farenheit 9/11 was competing against Dodgeball and White Chicks, so it was a no-brainer that it would at least do ok. Sicko's up againt Pixar, and despite them selling out to Disney, they still have some appeal. (That is until Short Circuit 3-I mean Wall-E...)

cj: "Assuming you're correct Josh, the question is: does that mean people don't think there is a health care crisis or are they just tired of Michael Moore?"

I really don't think either reason is correct. Americans acknowledge the crisis; thus there's no "controversy" for them. And if Moore was unappealing, than the few theater chains the film was playing in wouldn't have such a high PTA. Again, it was just sub-standard marketing on Harvey's part.

Undercover: "After this weekend it's gone and so is the franchise."

I think they FOX made a sequel to get Silver Surfer off the ground, which, all things considered, isn't a bad investment for them.

"But what does it say about the audience that you can burn them twice?"

You have to understand that the Roger Corman version of FF4 was so awful that any version would look good by comparison.

jeff: "And you to call The Prince of Egypt a "Ten Commandments knock-off" is incorrect and stupid."

Ok, it's a pussy-fied remake of The Ten Commandments. Better?

Burma: "I do like the "Ten Commandments knock-off" line. I wonder if he's ever heard of The Bible."

Yeah I have, but I also know that Dreamworks is run by uninspired executives, which is why the best they can come up with is a teen version of Rear Window.

Posted by D.Z. at June 30, 2007 10:28 PM

comment #22

Doug says ...

"Live Free or Die Hard" is a blast! Movie for movie "Die Hard" is probably the best of the franchises.

Posted by Doug at June 30, 2007 11:25 PM

comment #23

cjKennedy says ...

DZ, by your logic regarding Sicko, it's doing fine but Harvey still sucks because you hate him. Is that about right?

Posted by cjKennedy at July 1, 2007 01:46 AM

comment #24

The Winchester says ...

Well, without Harvey, Tarantino wouldn't have gotten out of that video store. Just sayin....

Posted by The Winchester at July 1, 2007 01:54 AM

comment #25

D.Z. says ...

cj: No, I'm saying that Sicko's doing ok, but not great, because Harvey's been blowing it all year. I might hate him, but Sicko was actually the one decent film his company has backed, and he still
can't get it right. It's probably karma for all the filmmakers he's screwed to get this far, but it's a shame that it'll hurt Moore's cause in the process.

Winchester: Yeah, but QT still acts like he lives there.

Posted by D.Z. at July 1, 2007 02:05 AM

comment #26

D.Z. says ...

Evaluating it further, I'd have to say the date was the real mistake. July 2007's a more crowded month than June 2004.

Posted by D.Z. at July 1, 2007 03:57 AM

comment #27

lionsfan says ...

Today, Millburn, NJ, the noon and 2:30 shows of "Ratatouille" were both sold out. Parents with kids, usually more than their own offpsring in tow, too.. While I had a totally private showing (well, an hour in, two theater employees showed uo to eat their lunch in the first row) of "Evan Almighty."

And in the lobby unattended as I left, awaiting pickup by the distributor or whomever, the film cans for both "Lives of Others" and "Fantastic Four- Rise Of The Silver Surfer." Oddly, I was tempted to steal both, though I haven't seen the latter.

Posted by lionsfan at July 1, 2007 04:58 PM

comment #28

kimi98 says ...

Hollywood Elsewhere

Upcoming

Weekend numbers

PanTheFaun says ...

Ogami Itto says ...

cjKennedy says ...

BurmaShave says ...

The Winchester says ...

bobby1976 says ...

Michael says ...

D.Z. says ...

Josh Massey says ...

BurmaShave says ...

cjKennedy says ...

Josh Massey says ...

BurmaShave says ...

Undercover Brother says ...

MathewM says ...

jeffmcm says ...

PanTheFaun says ...

Azree says ...

BurmaShave says ...

jeffmcm says ...

D.Z. says ...

Doug says ...

cjKennedy says ...

The Winchester says ...

D.Z. says ...

D.Z. says ...

lionsfan says ...

kimi98 says ...