August 6th, 2002

Great "Signs"

M. Night Shyamalan's latest supernatural fest, Signs, scored big business for Disney (effective marketing campaigns do help) with a major 60.1 gross over the weekend. This is surely great news for Disney and Shyamalan, who 3 years ago around this time broke box office records with "The Sixth Sense." His 2000 follow-up (and wonderful cinematic experience IMHO) "Unbreakable" failed to break 100 million (only grossing 95 mil), so "Signs" may not do "Sixth Sense" numbers, but it's sure to do high 100s to low 200s in the very least.

In second and taking a major plunge was last week's big winner, Austin Powers In Goldmember, bringing in another 31.1 million. The Master Of Disguise, after being jumped around release dates, also did fairly well despite piss-poor reviews, taking in 12.6 million. The concert film Martin Lawerence Live: RunTelDat did a respectable 7.4 while Road To Perdition made 77.2 million. That may have trouble cracking 100 million, it seems...

Stuart Little 2 turns embarassingly disappointing for what seems like the invincible studios at Sony with 6.1 million, while Men In Black II brought in 4.8 million. The Country Bears took in another 3.1, while My Big Fat Greek Wedding keeps doing wonderfully well, taking in another 3 million and rising a spot. Finally, the Harrison Ford dud K-19: The Widowmaker cracked 30 million, taking in a partly 2.9 this weekend. A disappointment indeed... same goes for Steven Soderbergh's latest, him going back to his indie roots in the "Sex, Lies & Videotape" compaion Full Frontal, opening in 19th with a mere $700,000...

Next week... look for three Xs to take the top spot. And on another note, today is staff member Anthony D.'s birthday! Yay! Everyone e-mail him wishing him a good one :-) I certainly do, so a happy day of birth to him!

-Zach B.