Sony’s “Meatballs” worked up quite an appetite at the weekend box office taking the top spot and another $24.6 million last weekend. The kiddie film with the ungainly name, had audiences satiated and easily surpassed all new releases in it second week out.
Bruce Willis wasn’t able to capture number one despite a late advertising blitz with his critically skewered robot science fiction thriller “Surrogates” that came in second with just $15 million. EI’s Scott Mantz praised the impressive special effects (made on a relatively modest $80 million budget) but found the film ultimately boring. Given the lackluster performance in its opening sesh, expect “Surrogates” to make its way to dvd fairly soon.
The youthful and glitzy “Fame” remake slipped in at number 3 with around $10 million. Generating little buzz critically or otherwise, this update of the much loved 1980 original didn’t even impress the film critic Pete Hammond, whose review was a rare opportunity to pan something. As more remakes emerge including the long gestating “Footloose” update, studios have to be weary of disturbing many more semi-classic films in search of a quick buck. Audiences just aren’t that gullible, are they?
The Steven Soderbergh directed, Matt Damon starrer “The Informant” continued to do well bringing in another $7 million. And Atlanta’s own Tyler Perry solidified his second hit of 2009 as “I Can Do Bad All By Myself” added nearly another $5 million moving its cume to almost $45 million.
Overture’s “Pandorum” which only screened for this critic on Thursday night before opening day, came in a distant 6th place with not even $4 and a half million. The horror/science fiction film which I actually enjoyed, shouldn’t end up being a huge loss for Overture given the reasonable $40 million budget. “Pandorum” will catch on well on dvd and internationally, I’m sure.
Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” rounded out the top 10 continuing to perform well as the director’s highest grossing film to date.
Watch out for the little horror film “Paranormal Activity” which scored sold-out midnight screenings this week in limited release. This film was made for some kind of ridiculously small budget and screened at Slamdance back in 2008. Distributor Paramount might expand midnight screenings of the film in hopes of generating some kind of “Blair Witch” type buzz. While I’ve not seen the movie, EI’s Adam Barnick, who has seen it, is a big fan. Look for “Paranomal Activity” to scare in more markets in October.
