Box Office Fizzle

IT FEELS GOOD TO COME BACK from such a poor showing in one week with a decent showing the next. While I was far too generous (a recurring theme this summer) with The Longshots, over-estimating its numbers by half, I hit the bulls-eye with Death Race, and landed a solid C with my House Bunny prediction. While 75.8% may not seem like much, it is Numberwang!

Death Race
My prediction: $13 million
Actual opening weekend: $12.6 million
Accuracy: 96.9%

The House Bunny
My prediction: $11 million
Actual opening weekend: $14.5 million
Accuracy: 75.8%

The Longshots
My prediction: $6 million
Actual opening weekend: $4 million
Accuracy: 66.7%

Babylon A.D.
And with the release of the latest Vin Diesel movie, the summer has official drawn to a close. Sorry, Vin Diesel, the days when your movie could be included in summer blockbusters has passed. Now, you have to release your movies just outside the summer and peeking in. Like you're a hungry moppet pressing your face against the bakery window, staring at those delicious cinnamon rolls. Why do other people get to have those rolls, Vin, and you do not? It doesn't seem fair, does it? Remember the good old days when you were the voice of a lovable robot from outer space? Now you just act like one. Wow! That was a snap. I totally snapped The Pacifier!

Opening weekend: $13 million
Total take: $40 million

Disaster Movie
What can you say about this sub-genre of movies? Can you call them funny? Can you call them clever? Can you call them necessary? No, they are none of these things. But they are filled with D-list actors doing impersonations of famous people. And that's gotta count for something right? I mean, it's hilarious if you see someone who looks almost nothing like Flava-Flav, but is dressed like him and says "boy-eeee" like him, that's almost like a joke right? Who needs actual jokes when you can replace them with references to famous people? And, failing that, have Tony Cox play Indiana Jones.

Opening weekend: $11 million
Total take: $39 million

College
Man, I sure hope all the jokes in the movie are as homophobic as the jokes in every trailer.

Opening weekend: $5 million
Total take: $21 million