Weekend Report: 'Resident Evil 5,' 'Nemo 3D' Lead Another Slow Weekend

Weekend Report: 'Resident Evil 5,' 'Nemo 3D' Lead Another Slow Weekend

Resident Evil 5 took first place, despite the fact that both critics (18% RT) and audiences (C+ CinemaScore) hated it. Obviously somebody likes it. It was expected to take in about $25M, but actually came in at $21M.

The 3D re-release of Nemo ($17M) really didn't work. Analysts though it might come close to $30M because of the performance of the Lion King 3D. Well, Senator Nemo, I knew The Lion King and you are no Lion King.

Last Ounce of Courage took in less than two million despite being in 1400 theaters. Mojo reports: "Unlike many Christian movies which rely primarily on word-of-mouth, Last Ounce actually ran commercials in major markets like Los Angeles (where a movie like this usually doesn't even open), which means this is probably a pretty serious financial disappointment."

Arbitrage cracked the top 12 list despite being in a mere 197 theaters. I saw it myself, and enjoyed it, although I think it has been mismarketed. It spends very little time on financial manipulation, and is essentially a crime story about a rich guy covering up a hit-and-run accident. If you want to see a financial thriller, last year's Margin Call was actually about Wall Street and the inner mechanics of the high-stakes financial markets, but Arbitrage really has nothing to do with big-time finance. Richard Gere plays a CEO who simply blew $400 million on a bad investment which he made in secret on his own authority, then tried to cover up while he negotiated a merger with another firm. The sale of the company is also the reason why he left the scene of the accident. There was nothing at all sinister about the accident. If he had reported it he would have incurred no criminal charges, but his efforts to leave and cover it up made it a crime. It was a potential manslaughter because his mistress died, so a police detective took it seriously. The film's dramatic tension comes from the fact that both nooses, the criminal investigation and the financial audit, are tightening on him simultaneously. By the way, former supermodel Laetitia Casta plays Richard Gere's younger mistress who is killed off near the beginning of the film. I don't think an American film career is in the cards for her. She looks great when her mouth is closed, but her English is very hard to understand and she really needs some dental work. She and Gere have a sex scene, but she remains fully clothed.

"The Master opened to an incredible $730,000 from just five theaters (three in New York and two in Los Angeles). That translates to a per-theater average of $146,000, which tops Moonrise Kingdom's $130,749 to claim the title of highest average ever for a live-action movie."

"Nicolas Cage's downfall continued this weekend: his latest movie, Stolen, grossed just $204,000 from 141 theaters. That is slightly better than March's Seeking Justice ($249,912 from 231 venues), but it's still an awful opening for former A-lister Cage." True dat. Nic was a star, but is now exerting about as much box office muscle as Corbin Bernsen and Jeff Fahey.