Posted on 11/29/2004 5:00:45 AM PST by SolutionsOnly
More moviegoers used the Thanksgiving weekend to catch up with the hits "National Treasure" and "The Incredibles" than to see the year's two biggest holiday-theme flicks or the new epic "Alexander." "National Treasure," in which Nicolas Cage follows a centuries-old legend to a mother lode of historical riches, finished in first place by earning an estimated $33.1 million from Friday to yesterday.
Pixar Animation's "The Incredibles," the bemused tale of superheroes put out to pasture in suburbia, took second with an estimated $24.1 million.
The weekend's two new movies, "Christmas With the Kranks" and Oliver Stone's "Alexander," both settled into the middle of the pack.
"Kranks," a much-hyped film starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis as a couple that tries to skip Christmas, overcame terrible reviews to finish third with $22.7 million.
"Alexander," which stars Colin Farrell as Alexander the Great and cost $155 million to produce, earned a disappointing $13.5 million to finish sixth.
The other major holiday-theme film, "The Polar Express," which stars Tom Hanks in a heartwarming Christmas adventure done with high-tech animation, earned an estimated $20.1 million. That brings its total to $82.2 million, less than half of what it cost to produce.
Much happier were the producers of "SpongeBob SquarePants," the animated sponge who made his reputation on Nickelodeon and has earned $58.6 million at the movie box office. He finished fifth this week with $19.6 million.
Mrs. GRRRRR and I went to see "National Treasure" on Saturday. It was a cheeeep date...$5.75 at the 5 pm show.
We thoroughly enjoyed this patriotic movie. Put aside your grownup goggles for two hours and just enjoy it. There could have been a little bit more puzzle solving and legends type stuff but it had just enough to make it an interesting premise.
The theatre was PACKED SOLID, not a single empty seat. The place applauded roundly at the end! (why we do that, I don't know, because the actors can't really hear it---can they?)
Cage was his usual goofy self and his side kick and yummy girl candy was icing on the rotunda. It was fun to say, "I've been THERE" and the pix of DC always give me a little chill.
History and Patriotism abound in this flick, maybe more and more people will go to the library and read a history book now, MAYBE Hollywood will take the hint and make MORE FILMS about American History. I'd pay to see a decent dramatization about HOW the Declaration was written and how the Revolution started. How about a good BioPic about the Founding Fathers with just a few babes in tight bodices?
G
I will not go to Alexander. Oliver Stone has dedicated his life to trying to destroy military heroes and elevate anti-heroes. I will not pay to see any military movie directed by Oliver Stone.
Why the producers hired that POS to direct this movie is beyond me. Maybe they had money to burn.
How dare you besmirch the great name of the State of Texas, everybody knows Sandy Cheeks rocks!
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