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Max Payne, a complete piece of video-game merde, is the weekend's #1 film with a projected $19.2 million by Sunday night. The Secret Life of Bees will come in second with $11.8 million with Beverly Hills Chihuahua, a movie that's already infamous for what it implies about semi-arrogant xenophobic attitudes among materialistic middle-class Americans, coming in third with $11.6 million.

W. -- easily the best new film out there -- is, according to my source, looking at a fourth-place finish with $11.5 million. (Nikki Finke, however, has been told it'll come in second with about $12 million.) Eagle Eye, another piece of shit, will come in fifth with 7.4 million.

The sixth-place Body of Lies will be down 44% from last weekend's attendance, down to $2600 a print. It'll be a push for this $80 or $90 million spy thriller to make $40 million domestic. It's a disaster, is what it is.

Quarantine, $6.1 million. Nick and Nora, $3.8 million. Sex Drive, $3.6 millon. Fireproof, $2.7 million.

Caught in the Crossfire<< previous | next >>Two Must-Sees

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 18, 2008 at 11:07 AM

comment #1

Jay T. says ...

Body of Lies was good and I enjoyed it, but when it was all over I felt like it was missing a true ending... My first response was, "Oh, that's it?" Still a good film, however, that I think I'll appreciate more the second time on DVD.

Posted by Jay T. at October 18, 2008 11:37 AM

comment #2

cinefan says ...

Just looking at the box office chart and how much money middle-class America is willing to spend on stupid, mindless crap, I can now understand why Sarah Palin is popular with so many people among that group.

Posted by cinefan at October 18, 2008 12:16 PM

comment #3

Craptastic says ...

Wells, did you actually see "Max Payne"?

Posted by Craptastic at October 18, 2008 12:19 PM

comment #4

BurmaShave says ...

Everything I've read says W will come in second.

Posted by BurmaShave at October 18, 2008 12:35 PM

comment #5

StoneFan1 says ...

"W." will come in second and no worse than third. A fourth place finish would be somewhat sucky even if the film matches the predictions of an opening north of $10 million.

Posted by StoneFan1 at October 18, 2008 12:54 PM

comment #6

StoneFan1 says ...

"Body of Lies" should've opened well north of $30 million with that cast, crew, and budget. Terrible marketing, terrible trailers / ads, and terrible release date.

Posted by StoneFan1 at October 18, 2008 12:56 PM

comment #7

D.Z. says ...

If W. comes in second, that's still pretty good for Stone, especially since the Marky Mark flick should've easily done $25-$30 million, given the lack of real genre competition this weekend.

Posted by D.Z. at October 18, 2008 12:59 PM

comment #8

D.Z. says ...

Stonefan: I actually didn't hate the ads, compared with those for other political thrillers, but they needed to be more specific about the circumstances.

Posted by D.Z. at October 18, 2008 1:24 PM

comment #9

CarloDennis says ...

Universal has to be a little nervous about next year's State of Play (another Russell Crowe political thriller, only with Affleck as his costar). Three word title, "of" in the middle... If they stick with that title (which it shares with the British miniseries upon which it's based), I'm guessing they'll really play up the female cast: Rachel McAdams, Helen MIirren, and Robin Wright Penn.

Posted by CarloDennis at October 18, 2008 1:43 PM

comment #10

Richard_Stone says ...

I love Oliver Stone, but W. doesn't deserve much more box-office. It's pretty mediocre.

Posted by Richard_Stone at October 18, 2008 3:14 PM

comment #11

Radewart says ...

Why are people harping on Beverly Hills Chihuahua for doing well? It's a kid's movie!!! I work at a theater and a majority of kid"s movie do well, espically when there hasn't been one for awhile. It's doing the same as movies like Snow Dogs or other Disney stuff, which came out when the economy was fine. Weren't you people kids once? Kids like silly crap and they drag their parents to it.

Posted by Radewart at October 18, 2008 4:51 PM

comment #12

BurmaShave says ...

Yeah a few weeks ago I was in Chincoteague, Virginia at a single screen theater to see a showing of EAGLE EYE, I was a little bit early, and the showing of BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA was still going on. It was a packed crowd (probably 200 of the 1200 people who were on the island) and they were eating it up. When it let out the people really were elated, and sure they might be all dummies, but it makes sense. It's an escape. Weirdest sight: old southern men piling out muttering "Chihuahua!"

Posted by BurmaShave at October 18, 2008 5:37 PM

comment #13

Jay T. says ...

Here's a tough question... if you had to go watch Beverly Hills Chihuahua or High School Musical 3, and gouging your eyes out isn't an option, which do you pick?

Posted by Jay T. at October 18, 2008 6:04 PM

comment #14

Chase Kahn says ...

Jay T, which one is shorter?

You have to take the good and the bad during the Holiday season. For every RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, you have MAX PAYNE and BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUHUA. Sadly, good movies are getting outnumbered...

Next weekend, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3? I'll be seeing HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (which hasn't opened in my market yet).

Posted by Chase Kahn at October 18, 2008 8:21 PM

comment #15

Roman says ...

I bet Wells hasn't seen Max Payne and it is his opinions that are shit not the movie he critiques.

Posted by Roman at October 18, 2008 11:41 PM

comment #16

LexG says ...

MAX PAYNE SEMI SPOILER:

(You've been warned!)

Based on the entire marketing campaign, weren't you under the impression there was at least SOME vaguely supernatural element to the film?

Posted by LexG at October 18, 2008 11:55 PM

comment #17

Craptastic says ...

Roman... my point to questioning the fact as if he's seen it or not has to do with the fact that it makes him no better than Bob Dole. The man actually condemned "Natural Born Killers" without having seen it. I'm a firm believer that its in the best interest of any movie critic, blogger, holder of public office, etc. to know the product fully before pouncing on it. It is basic logic to do so.

Anyone can try to make the argument that trailers and ads tell you exactly what the movie is and judgement can be passed on that alone... but that's a load of shit.

Based on that argument, Obama hangs around with terrorists, "W." is a complete goof-fest, "The Phantom Menace" is fantastic, and Carl's Jr. makes burgers that transcend anything that can be made in a professional kitchen.

I don't care how shitty Max Payne looks in trailer/ad form. See it for yourself before you shit on it.

Posted by Craptastic at October 19, 2008 2:26 AM

comment #18

bmcintire says ...

LexG - Seriously? What's with all the black-winged valkyrie things in the trailer? I was expecting another CONSTANTINE out of this one.
Visually, the trailer actually makes this look interesting. Is it as bad as its reviews are saying?

Posted by bmcintire at October 19, 2008 10:35 AM

comment #19

actionman says ...

The reason that Body of Lies tanked is that audiences are a bunch of fucking morons with their heads up their movie going asses. Let's go see a talking dog or a video game movie! It's an almost-great movie, and it gets better the more I think about it. So many excellent moments.

Jeff -- did you see Eagle Eye or Max Payne? I enjoyed Eagle Eye for the stylish trash that it was.

Posted by actionman at October 19, 2008 5:26 PM

comment #20