It was a dull weekend at the movies with most folks going back for double and triple servings of last week's leftovers. While Stomp The Yard continued to defy logic by holding on to the number one spot, smaller releases expanded and finally got their due in the top ten.
Pan's Labyrinth expanded from less than 200 venues to 609 screens, drawing down $4.7 million and locking in seventh place. Golden Globe winning The Queen jumped from 344 theaters to 1,586 but couldn't top the labyrinth, earning only $3.7 million.
The new release this weekend, The Hitcher, opened at number four with $8.2 million, losing out to Dreamgirls which climbed back up third place, an uphill journey that has lasted six weeks now. Night at the Museum broke the $200 million mark this week and held tight to the number two spot.
Next weekend the new release train roars back to life with four films making their debut. The oddly named horror flick Blood and Chocolate will go head to head with Catch and Release, a romantic comedy starring none other than filmmaker Kevin Smith. The oddball action comedy Smokin' Aces will likely top both of those films, but all will bow down to the wonder that will be Epic Movie. The wonder doesn't come from any hope of the movie being any good. No, we'll all be wondering at the American obsession with mind-numbing, IQ-lowering, inexplicably moronic, stupid comedies. Scary Movie 4 took high honors early last year. Look for Epic Movie to follow in its very hollow footsteps.
