Big Momma Rocks The House

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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE TOP TEN

January 27-29, 2006

LW = Last Week WR = Weeks Released

THTRS = Number of Screens

* Denotes new release.

Click on title to read CB Review

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1.Big Momma's House 2 *
$28,000,000 - Total: $28,000,000
LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 3261
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2.Nanny McPhee *
$14,085,000 - Total: $14,085,000
LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 1995
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3.Underworld: Evolution
$11,100,000 - Total: $44,303,000
LW: 1 WR: 2 THTRS: 3207
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4.Annapolis *
$7,708,000 - Total: $7,708,000
LW: N WR: 1 THTRS: 1605
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5.Hoodwinked
$7,384,000 - Total: $37,672,000
LW: 2 WR: 7 THTRS: 3020
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6.Brokeback Mountain
$6,354,000 - Total: $50,836,000
LW: 5 WR: 8 THTRS: 1654
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7.Glory Road
$5,163,000 - Total: $34,766,000
LW: 3 WR: 3 THTRS: 2397
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8.Last Holiday
$4,800,000 - Total: $32,628,000
LW: 4 WR: 3 THTRS: 2442
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9.The Chronicles of Narnia:The Lion, The Witch,and The Wardrobe
$4,411,000 - Total: $277,773,000
LW: 6 WR: 8 THTRS: 2170
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10.The Matador
$3,843,000 - Total: $5,501,000
LW: 28 WR: 5 THTRS: 885

Big Momma rocked the house this weekend, dragging a hefty $28 million out of the box office. Not only did it do twice as well as the number two movie, Nanny McPhee, it beat out Underworld: Evolution for the honor of having the biggest opening of 2006 so far. While I find it a little disturbing that a sequel starring Martin Lawrence hanging out in women's dressing rooms in a fat suit is more appealling than a sequel starring Kate Beckinsale duking it out with vampires and werewolves in athletic fit leather, America has spoken and the fat suit wins. Maybe it's just a desperate cry for less trendy action and more comedy.

If that's the case, the cry will be answered next weekend with romantic comedy Something New. The cross-racial relationship story will open in a modest 1200 theaters against When A Stranger Calls. Stranger, a watered down remake is slated to run in upwards of 2600 screens and hopes to take the number one slot despite representing everything America seem to have come to loathe in cheap repeat thriller/horror movies.

Nanny McPhee fared well enough making a modest $14 million but the other new entry for the week, James Franco's naval academy boxing drama Annapolis, made less than a knockout debut at fourth place with $7 million. Whether or not you care for his acting style, the lackluster turn out for this film following The Great Raid's underwhelming box office reception and Tristan and Isolde's flash in the pan appearance have left Franco with a rather non-bankable star status.

With the first full month under its belt, 2006 is looking pretty good overall considering last year's dismal box office performance. Movies have made $753 million total compared to $713 million at this time last year. Bear in mind, though, that things were looking pretty good in early 2005 too, with the situation turning nasty in the first months of summer. There's still plenty of time for 2006 to nose dive and the box office has a long way to go.

Scott Gwin