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Gospel: Miracle hit! |
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The Gospel, the story of a young man coming back to his church that he had abandoned and his help in reviving the dispirited congregation, was the miracle hit of the week.
Made for just $4 million, The Gospel sang in just about 960 theatres and raked in about $8 million. On the other hand, the $27 million Two For The Money starring Al Pacino, was showing in more than 3,000 theatres. At number four on the charts, it made just a few thousands more than The Gospel. The week was also notable for proving once again how Jodie Foster can carry a film on her 42-year-old shoulders. Coming down by about 27 percent, the thriller Flightplan landed at second place in its third weekend, giving Foster yet another hit. The week's top film Wallace And Gromit ate up just about $16 million.
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1. Wallace & Gromit Cast: (Voices) Helena Bonham Carter, Peter Sallis and Ralph Fiennes. Director: Nick Parker and Steve Box.  Superb entertainment, exuberant animation, lovable lead players. Too sweet natured.Number of weeks: New. BO Verdict: Encouraging, with a $16 million opening.
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2. Flightplan Cast: Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard, Erika Christensen, Sean Bean. Director: Robert Schwentke. The formidable Jodie Foster; some suspenseful moments.Story has too many bumps; the suspense nosedives soon.Number of weeks: 3. BO Verdict: Hit. It came down by 27 percent, grossing $10.7 million and taking its total to $61 million.
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3. In Her Shoes Cast: Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette and Shirley MacLaine. Director: Curtis Hanson. Interesting chemistry between the lead players, strong life lessons and mild comedy.Takes time to warm up.Number of weeks: New. BO Verdict: Decent. Though $10 million opening is not particularly heartening, word of mouth may give this film long legs.
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4. Two For The Money Cast: Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughley and Rene Russo. Director: DJ Caruso. Intriguing twists, many smart lines.Very predictable Al Pacino, overlong and overdrawn drama.Number of weeks: New. BO Verdict: Disappointing. The initial buzz for the film was very good but with a $8.4 million opening, it has to work hard to recoup its $27 million investment.
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5. The Gospel Cast: Boris Kodjoe, Idris Alba, Nona Gaye. Director: Rob Hardy. Feel good movie, low-keyed for most part. Unpretentious, too.Too preachy.Number of weeks: New. BO Verdict: Hit. When a $4 million movie almost recoups its investment in one week, what else could it be but a hit?
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6. Corpse Bride Cast (Voices): Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter. Director: Tim Burton. Imaginative setting; story with heart; wonderful voices.Appeal is limited to die-hard Burton fans.Number of weeks: 4. BO Verdict: The film earns $6.5 million for a four week total of $42 million.
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7. Waiting Cast: Justin Long, Anna Faris and Ryan Reynolds. Director: Rob McKittrick. None.Dumb characters, dumber direction, and not even the dumbest audiences deserve it.Number of weeks: New. BO Verdict: Disappointing, earning $5.7 million.
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8. A History of Violence Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris. Director: David Cronenberg. Intriguing story, solid performances, gripping narration.A bit harrowing at times.Number of weeks: 3. BO Verdict: Art house hit.
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9. Serenity Cast: Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau, Chiwetel Ejiofor. Director: Joss Whedon. A witty, heartfelt and intriguing sci-fi film.Acting could have been better. Ditto for the dialogue.Number of weeks: 2. BO Verdict: Flop. After a decent opening, the movie fell by 51 percent.
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10. Into the Blue Cast: Paul Walker, Jessica Alba, Scott Caan. Director: John Stockwell. An attractive young cast.Needed a stronger script, meaty action.Number of weeks: 1. BO Verdict: Flop. With a $4.8 million weekend gross and a 32 percent decline, the movie reached a $13.8 million gross.
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Text: Arthur J Pais
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