This week in theatres...

[Colin]

This week brings us 3 new flicks to place into top ten contention. We got the CGI film that most of the VG world's been waiting for... Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, we've got the film that...um... Resse Witherspoon fans have been waiting for: Legally Blond and the film that probably more people have been waiting for than Legally Blond: The Score.

My guesses for this week, FF will do well, the big names in the score should help it to place well. Last weeks tops C&D and SM2 will most likely suffer a big drop off, I have a feeling we may have seen the last of Atlantis... Shrek may slide down a spot or two, but should remain in the top 10. AI will probably falter a spot or two, but probably still in the Top 5...

The scoop on this weeks:

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)
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Science Fiction/Fantasy and Action/Adventure. 1 hr. 53 min.
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence.

Starring: Ming-na Wen, James Woods, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi and Donald Sutherland.
Directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi.
Produced by Chris Lee, Jun Aida and Akio Sakai.
Written by Hironobu Sakaguchi, Al Reinert and Jeff Vintar.

Distributor: Columbia Tristar More Credits



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Release Date: July 11, 2001 Nationwide

Synopsis

Using computer animation to create an imaginary futuristic world, FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN, based on the popular series of video games, transports viewers to the year 2065. The earth is overrun with evil aliens who are determined to destroy the planet and obliterate humankind. Only one woman, Dr. Aki Ross (Ming-Na) can devise a plan to defeat the aliens, but she is dying from a fatal disease.

Legally Blonde (2001)
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Comedy. 1 hr. 34 min.
Rated PG-13 for language and sexual references.

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Matthew Davis, Selma Blair, Luke Wilson and Victor Garber.
Directed by Robert Luketic.
Produced by Marc Platt, Ric Kidney and Rick Kidney.
Written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith.

Distributor: MGM More Credits



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Release Date: July 13, 2001 Nationwide

Synopsis

Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) has it all. She's the president of her sorority, a Hawaiian Tropic girl, Miss June in her campus calendar, and, above all, a natural blonde. She dates the cutest fraternity boy on campus and wants nothing more than to be Mrs. Warner Huntington III. But, there's just one thing stopping Warner (Matthew Davis) from popping the question: Elle is TOO blonde. Growing up across the street from Aaron Spelling might mean something in LA, but nothing to Warner's East-Coast blue blood family. So, when Warner packs up for Harvard Law and reunites with an old sweetheart from prep school, Elle rallies all her resources and gets into Harvard, determined to win him back. But law school is a far cry from the comforts of her poolside and the mall. Elle must wage the battle of her life - for her guy, for herself and for all the blondes who suffer endless indignities everyday.

The Score (2001)
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Action/Adventure and Drama. 2 hrs. 00 min.
Rated R for language.

Starring: Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Angela Bassett, Marlon Brando and Jamie Harrold.
Directed by Frank Oz.
Produced by Gary Foster and Lee Rich.
Written by Kario Salem and Dan Taylor.

Distributor: Paramount Pictures



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Release Date: July 13, 2001 Nationwide

Synopsis

Career thief Nick Wells (Robert De Niro) is about to mastermind a nearly impossible theft that will require his joining forces with a clever young accomplice (Edward Norton). The unlikely alliance, arranged by Nick's longtime friend and fence, Max (Marlon Brando), interrupts Nick's plan to retire from crime and settle down with his fiancee, Diane (Angela Bassett). Even worse, it requires that Nick violate his most important rule: Always work alone.

[James Harvey]

My predictions:

1. THE SCORE - $34 mill
2. FINAL FANTASY - $31 mill
3. CATS & DOGS - $15 mill
4. SCARY MOVIE 2 - $14 mill
5. AI - $10 mill

and LEGALLY BLONDE will gross a meager $8 mill.

[Kero]

I think Final Fantasy will be the big new smash this week as it has loads of fans from the video games.

Kero

[The Mad Hatter]

Finally, the increasingly-ironically-named Final Fantasy. Groovy. I'll catch it sometime this week and probably dig it.

But, like I said on the other boards, I doubt it'll do that well in the long run... it's got that American stigma against "mature" animation against it, as well as the American stigma against anything too introspective or philisophical. But as someone (DG, I think) said, it'll probably do a lot better on DVD.