The Top 10 Movies This Weekend (and other stuff)

[Anthonynotes]

Here's this weekend's top 10 films:

1 (+) The Fast and the Furious .... $41.6 million

2 (+) Dr. Dolittle 2 .............. $26.7 million

3 (1) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider ..... $20.2 million

4 (2) Atlantis: The Lost Empire ... $13.2 million

5 (3) Shrek ....................... $11.0 million

6 (4) Swordfish ................... $ 7.7 million

7 (5) Pearl Harbor ................ $ 7.0 million

8 (8) Moulin Rouge ................ $ 3.8 million

9 (6) Evolution ................... $ 3.6 million

10 (7) The Animal .................. $ 3.0 million

NOTE: Last weekend's position in parenthesis. ``+'' - new release.

<<<

Looks as if the public actually wanted to see something original (i.e. not Yet Another Disney Movie/a sequel/a video game spinoff), and "Fast" was the only new flick that fit this description...

Meanwhile, between "Doolittle" ranking in at #2 and "Shrek" still packing 'em in at #5 (slipping two notches, presumably only beacuse of "Fast" and "Doolittle"' pushing it back two notches rather than any loss of popularity), our favorite Harbinger of the Apocalypse is still riding pretty high. And on a related note, on Saturday night NBC ran a special on the making of/people who starred in "Trading Places" (including Mr. Murphy, among others). Wonder if Caps saw this special at all...

Finally, next week's predictions: With the hype surrounding "A.I.", I'd expect "Fast"'s reign at the top to be quite short, and most of the top 5 films taking a big plunge (particularly "Tomb Raider", anyway). "Shrek" ought to still stay the course. And after that, I suppose there's "Cats and Dogs", though I'm not sure how well that might do. It concerns cats and dogs secretly waging a war when humans aren't around, and a cat who wants to take over the world. I'm sure Brain would have a few choice words on *that* notion ;-)

-B.
-B.

[robert]

Well I'm surprised. I knew with people's appetite for explotation trash that "The Fast and the Furious" would do some business, but not that much. Sort of like "Scary Movie" last year, surprising the experts with big money. Also, I guess word of mouth is more powerful than people's appetite for scantly clad females after all considering "Tomb Raider"'s drop, I say that because, again, I didn't think both new films would overtake last week's champ.

>With the hype surrounding "A.I.", I'd expect "Fast"'s reign at the top to be quite short, and most of the top 5 films taking a big plunge (particularly "Tomb Raider", anyway).

Quite true. The question is, will word of mouth help that film to get really big business like it did for "Shrek" or help it to bomb after week1 like "Pearl Harbor" It is certain that it will attrack a whole lot of people as it is an unofficial teaming of two of the most different directors in history, Stanley Kubrick, who came up with the idea and who created some very dark fantasy worlds, and the creator of countless fancy free fantasys Steven Speilburg, who as we know took over the project when Kubrick died. Current word is that it is very good, but it could have been and should have been much better.

>And after that, I suppose there's "Cats and Dogs", though I'm not sure how well that might do.

You forget about "Scary Movie 2" which opens on July 4'th just like the above film, so considering what the first film did, the sequel could make some good money, for better or worse that may be. Then the next week comes another movie based on a video game, the CGI Final Fantasy movie, followed by Jurrasic Park 3 and Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes the next two weeks. Boy, it is going to be one crowded, and interesting, month of movies.

[DR. BELCH]

BRAINATRA:
"Cats and Dogs"...concerns cats and dogs secretly waging a war when humans aren't around, and a cat who wants to take over the world. I'm sure Brain would have a few choice words on *that* notion ;-)
Or Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. "What? A cat plotting world domination? Why, it's an outrage! It's an abomination! It's a blasphemy! I should demand royalties!"
Sabrina warns him to calm down before he asphixiates on a hairball.
"For the love of Morris, woman! I will not calm down! I am furious! And they even got a Persian in the lead role! [sobs; whines] Those directors always go for the pretty boys...."

[Anthonynotes]

Originally posted by DR. BELCH

Or Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. "What? A cat plotting world domination? Why, it's an outrage! It's an abomination! It's a blasphemy! I should demand royalties!"
Sabrina warns him to calm down before he asphixiates on a hairball.
"For the love of Morris, woman! I will not calm down! I am furious! And they even got a Persian in the lead role! [sobs; whines] Those directors always go for the pretty boys...."

Heh...guess Salem would be ticked off (assuming he didn't change his mind and try to turn the film into some sort of cynical scam involving a film re-telling his *own* global domination attempt, or something :-)

-B.

[Sharklady]

My! The list of small, seemingly-harmless creatures with World Conquest ambitions is getting long!
Below are all the examples I can remember offhand:


Brain (and, on the same show, Snowball)

Dogbert

Salem

Stewie

Mojo Jojo

Mr. Tinkles (according to the ads, that's the head feline in 'Cats and Dogs.'


If anybody can think of others, feel free to say so.

[Anthonynotes]

>>My! The list of small, seemingly-harmless creatures with World Conquest ambitions is getting long!
Below are all the examples I can remember offhand:


Brain (and, on the same show, Snowball)

Dogbert

Salem

Stewie

Mojo Jojo

Mr. Tinkles (according to the ads, that's the head feline in 'Cats and Dogs.'


If anybody can think of others, feel free to say so.<<

Hmm....lessee...

Though not small, Gorilla Grodd (old Flash foe; a super-intelligent gorilla) wants to take over the world, and used small mice (including the "real" PatB guest-appearance-versions) to try to do so...

Also, there's Captain Marvel (the kid who said "Shazam!" and became the World's Mightiest Mortal) and his old foe, a short green worm with mental powers named Mr. Mind (he wore a small radio-like amplifier for his voice to be heard by humans, and wore worm-sized glasses). Once founded the "Monster Society of Evil", a collection of various Capt. Marvel baddies...
And if short people count, there's also Cap's old foe Dr. Sivana (a bald, glasses-wearing mad scientist)...

Can't think of anyone else right now, but either way, Brain probably wouldn't feel too chipper about all these guys infringing on his space ;-)

BRAIN: Hmph....turban-wearing monkeys...gorillas...*worms*..and the "ever-popular" felines...all rank amateurs! The very notion of their even *trying* to claim my rightful destiny I find offensive...

BILLIE: Aw, c'mon, Eggy---they're all *villains*! You're a good guy...I don't think you have anything to worry about. (Pauses) Though I gotta admit, all those mind-control schemes of yours isn't exactly what I'd call---(stops as she sees Brain glaring at her) Eh-heh...

-B.

[Captain Caps]

And on a related note, on Saturday night NBC ran a special on the making of/people who starred in "Trading Places" (including Mr. Murphy, among others). Wonder if Caps saw this special at all...---

Well, on the one hand, it sounds like a good special. On the other hand, I don't watch theatrical movies on network TV. If they could've aired the movie/documentary on Encore or Starz!, then maybe I would've watched.

My philosophy-If it has "Axel Foley" in it, don't watch it on broadcast TV. Save it for premium cable, and then, it's your call...


Sincerely,

John "outofplacechild" Kilduff

[DR. BELCH]

Three more:
THE FMECKS, Men in Black.
ROACH COACH, Power Puff Girls.
PLANKTON, SpongeBob Squarepants.

The last two would irk Brain more than the others. I can hear it now:
BRAIN:
Neonates and primates and felines are bad enough...now invertebrates wish to encroach on my territory. Oh, what next--inanimate objects with delusions of grandeur?
PINKY:
[giggling] It's funny you should say that, Brain--poit!--because the other day Courtney told me she was considering taking over the world because she wants something to put on her resume after college!
[Pan over to "Courtney", PINKY's drier lint pal from their adventure with the Rhennish peoples...although due to his obsessive TV watching and apparently a lot of time on his hands, what with cancellation, to study the finer points of the female anatomy, she's looking quite...well...developed.]
BILLIE:
[eyebrow raised as she looks up and down at "Courtney"] I dunno whether to be jealous or to pity you, Pinkers.
:D

[Nftnat]

Originally posted by DR. BELCH
Three more:
THE FMECKS[b], Men in Black.
[b]ROACH COACH, Power Puff Girls.
PLANKTON, SpongeBob Squarepants.

The last two would irk Brain more than the others. I can hear it now:
BRAIN:
Neonates and primates and felines are bad enough...now invertebrates wish to encroach on my territory. Oh, what next--inanimate objects with delusions of grandeur?
PINKY:
[giggling] It's funny you should say that, Brain--poit!--because the other day Courtney told me she was considering taking over the world because she wants something to put on her resume after college!
[Pan over to "Courtney", PINKY's drier lint pal from their adventure with the Rhennish peoples...although due to his obsessive TV watching and apparently a lot of time on his hands, what with cancellation, to study the finer points of the female anatomy, she's looking quite...well...developed.]
BILLIE:
[eyebrow raised as she looks up and down at "Courtney"] I dunno whether to be jealous or to pity you, Pinkers.
:D

To quote Maynard G. Krebs, "You rang?" Once again we go to the TTAFF collection (the mirror site to which can be accessed from the bottom of this page), Beakazoid by Plucky Warner to be specific, the end of that fic to be even more specific:

ANNOUNCER (V/O): Little did the Professor or his assistant - or anyone else for that matter - know, Brain was not the mastermind behind the evil Jello scheme. Brian, Hamton's pet rock, thought up the whole thing. He gave Brain the idea for his jellifying solution in exchange for a promise that he would be able to rule the world with Brain. He caused Pinky to trip deliberately in a savage double-cross, and now he, Brian the rock, is alone with the jellifying solution.

BRIAN sits atop the heavy chemistry book looking ominous. Wwell, as ominous as a large rock serving as a paperweight can look.

ANNOUNCER (V/O): If he ever figures out how to move so he can use the solution to put his evil plan into effect, there'll be a sequel. Until then, it is farewell from this twisted tale of diabolical evil, treachery, friendship, pasta, and tight red lycra outfits. Farewell and goodnight.

As to Billie's concern, she should be jealous, pitying, nervous, flattered, etc. Courtney's hardly the only rival of Billie for Pinky's affections. Even if Romey ever gets around to offing Phar Fignewton, there's still that sea lion. And the pig from that ep of PE&tB. Also, one might wonder how Pinky got the opportunity to study the female figure. What females are around, hmm?

[Sharklady]

> And the pig from that ep of PE&tB. <

That would be Penny.

As to where Pinky got a chance to study the female figure: if any of those young men working in Acme Labs are typical, they've probably left a few helpful magazines in the desk drawers.

Yes, I *am* speaking from experience. (And really, guys: don't you know what 'cleaning out your desk' means???)

[Nftnat]

You know what I mean. Why would I suggest that Billie be nervous & flattered? But I can see your point, too.