Date: 5th February 2001

Box Office Ignores Critics


In yet another demonstration of how inconsequential movie reviewers may be at affecting the box office, a poorly reviewed film claimed the top spot for the second week in a row, while the second spot was nabbed by a movie that was not reviewed at all. (The New York Post's Lou Lumenick, who saw the movie on Saturday, commented that it seemed to inspire "more yawns than screams.")

According to studio estimates, Sony/Columbia's Jennifer Lopez-Matthew McConaughey starrer The Wedding Planner brought in $11 million, to bring its total after two weekends to $28.2 million. Warner Bros.' fright film Valentine earned about $10.1 million, about what it cost to produce.

Yet another poorly reviewed film, the Freddie Prinze Jr. comedy, Head Over Heels from Vivendi Universal, opened in seventh place with 5.0 million.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. The Wedding Planner, $11 million; 2. Valentine, $10.1 million; 3. Cast Away, $7.41 million; 4. Save the Last Dance, 7.4 million; 5. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, $7.35 million; 6. Traffic, $6.3 million; 7. Head Over Heels, $5 million; 8. Finding Forrester, $4.4 million; 9. Snatch, $4.1 million; 10. Chocolat, $3.7 million.

Source: Studio Briefing